The Unknown Woman
by Fammi Capire
Summary: Many mourners attend the dark and mysterious potions professor's funeral, but who is the mysterious woman who refuses to leave the casket? Is she related to him? Why doesn't anybody recognize her? Why is she hiding her identity? (Gets more cheerful after 1st chapter... I promise.)
1. Chapter 1 - The Unknown Woman

_**The Unknown Woman**_

Many mourners attend the Potion's Professor's funeral, but who is the mysterious woman who refuses to leave the casket? Is she related to him? Why doesn't anybody recognize her? Why is she hiding her identity?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own J.K. Rowling's characters or original story, no matter how much I wish I did. Get it? Got it. Good. (Do you guys even read these disclaimers anymore? I'll bet I could say anything on here and nobody would notice...)

**Chapter Music: ** A plot bunny showed up on my walk home from school, listening to Beethoven's Funeral March. Yes. I listen to funeral marches on my way home from school. Classical music can be so expressive and eerily beautiful.

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

**Chapter 1**

It had been less than a week since the end of the Second Wizarding War. The injured had been healed, and the dead were either already entombed forever or they were on their way to their final resting place. The procession made it's way through the small unkempt town that had been home to the dark secretive man who for whom the procession was for. Witches and warlocks from all over the wizarding world came to pay their respects on this dreary day to the man who had played a key role in the triumph over evil. This was a man whom they had all underestimated, and yet, a man they all knew nothing about. Severus Snape's innocence had been unexpected to many, but after even The Boy Who Lived showed his support for the dark potions master, they were more than willing to go along with it aswell.

The small dirt street would from simple stone church past the house where the Professor had grown up in his muggle childhood and through the edge of town to the cemetery where the rest of the Prince family was buried.

Nobody had known the man well enough to be considered his friend, and yet that all wanted to be there to show their support for the fallen hero. Most of his life was a mystery to most of them. Even those who claimed to know the most about the man knew only the information that had either been rumored or openly publicized. As far as anybody knew, he was the last member of both the Snape and the Prince line. His mother's family had not even recognized his existence being that he was a lowly half-blood, and his father had been a bar-frequenting muggle. All that had been saved in his his Gringotts account from his years of teaching had been collected by some unknown family member who had been able to prove the correct paperwork. The same person had also acquired the deed to his property on Spinner's End; a small house filled with thousands and thousands of dusty books and tomes on anything and everything one could even fathom (or at least that was what the solicitor had publicly announced).

Many of the people who arrived for the short service and the proceeding interment were there to see if the unknown relative would make an appearance, though they would never admit it. They were not disappointed.

A thin woman in a black mourning gown and a black veil that concealed her face from the prying eyes of the curious strangers had arrived at the small church with the coffin that held the deceased. She sat right next to it during the entire service and refused to leave its side even when they had wheeled it out to begin it's final journey to the small cemetery where it would be left.

She walked along side the casket, her one hand always on it, and her other hand always over her heart, clutching a necklace. She ignored all of the other mourners, not speaking a single word even during the service. The people knew not who she was, but they all felt as though they knew her. Her mannerisms were familiar, though they could not place them exactly. She walked like somebody they all knew, her gait emanating commanding strength, superiority, and attention.

Her gown billowed around her as she walked besides the casket, much like how the Professor's robes had menacingly billowed around him as the flew through the halls of Hogwarts. Otherwise, it was simple, lacking decorations except for a small pattern of embroidered black roses along the seam of the falling sleeves. The black veil she wore was see-though enough so that the outline of her face was vaguely discernible, but it hid her identifying features. The smooth black fabric fell to about half way down her back and then ended in a simple lacy rose embroidery, identical to that on the sleeves. It was extremely elegant in it's simplicity, and was obviously something that only the rather privileged could have even dreamed of affording.

When they reached the graveside, the woman knelt beside the casket and wept. Nobody dared disturb the distressed woman. They all silently decided that anybody who cared strongly enough to weep for the man as she was, was either mad or as powerful and dangerous as he himself had been.

She continued kneeling on the soggy ground, not caring one bit about the mud that stained her beautiful gown, as the pall bearers magically lowered the casket into the hole. In a nearby tree, a flock of crows chattered to one another and then flew over the small crowd at the grave side.

All the mourners watched as the soil was magically shoveled back into the hold in the ground. They stood for a few more moments paying their respects, not wanting to be the first ones to leave, and not wanting to miss seeing if the woman removed her veil.

One of the pall bearers took pity on the sobbing woman and reached out his hand to help her up. She took it and gracefully stood beside the now filled grave. She pulled out her wand, again eerily familiar but not clearly identifiable, and began murmuring incantations under her breath.

Before their eyes, a slab of obsidian stone slowly rose from the ground. The front was polished smooth, but the other sides showed their beautiful imperfections through the light that reflected off them. The bystanders watched in astonishment and awe as the obviously extremely powerful witch began murmuring an ancient incantation and words slowly began to carve themselves onto the smooth stone.

_Severus Tobias Prince Snape_

_1960-1998_

_Potions Master, Spy, Hero, Husband_

"_Always"_

The witch straightened herself up and slowly removed the necklace that she had been clutching the entire time. She pulled off the charm and muttering another incoherent incantation, pressed it against the black stone above the inscription. It sunk into the stone as though it had always been part of it. The emblem was of a lioness and a black cobra intertwined. Much to the surprise of those who would later admire the intricate pendant that looked as though it was crafted my ancient dwarven craftsmen, the two creatures were not fighting as one would expect those species to, but almost seemed to be protecting each other.

Again the necklace was familiar to a few of them, but none of them could exactly place where they had seen it before or who had been wearing it.

One final incantation produced a dozen dark blood red roses from thin air, and the witch gently placed them at the foot of the headstone. She got back up, and pulled something else off the chain which had held the lion and snake pendant. It was a ring. A wedding ring. She placed it on her finger before turning and suddenly apparating away, leaving before any of the other bewildered mourners could bother her.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Lake

_******Disclaimer****: I am not J.K. Rowling, even though I wish I had even an ounce of her imagination. All these characters belong to her as well.**_

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

**Chapter 2**

Hermione Granger sat on a high stone ledge looking over the far end of the Great Lake. The view from that spot was beautiful, one could see the castle and the grounds spread over the expanse of the night time horizon on the other side of the lake. She honestly considered the spot where she sat to be hers and hers alone. She had never seen anybody else come out there.

It was the spot she went to when her classes and all the studying and drama of her life became too overwhelming. She always looked forward to coming here.

She now sat on the ledge, her toes grazing the top of the water, looking across the lake at the castle. When one was inside, it was so busy and full of life. And yet, when she was out here, watching from across the lake, it seems so peaceful and serene. She just sat and watched the stars glittering in the sky above the castle. There was some sort of calming quality in watching the light of the stars and the lights that were still turned on flickering across the glossy water of the Great Lake, an occasional breeze creating small waves and distorting the perfect reflection of the castle.

Hermione doubted that many people knew about the secluded ledge. She herself had spotted it during one of the trips that Hagrid had taken them on around the lake during their Care of Magical Creatures class.

Hermione did not come here often, but when she did, she made sure that the sky was clear and that she was able to easily sneak away from the castle unnoticed. Most often, she would borrow Harry's cloak to ensure that she was never caught in transit.

The spot was perfect for thinking. The kind of thinking one can only do in a serene and secluded environment where no interruptions can find you. She most often thought about her overload of school work. Sometimes she would even question her mental sanity as she dug her way out of the literal encyclopedias of information her brain was overfilled with. Other times, she would contemplate her role in the grand scheme of things. For a sixth year, she had a lot on her dish, and these escapades allowed her to leave her rushed and harried life style to find a calm reality of her own.

Today was no different from any other day. She had had a long day at school. Every single one of her teachers had deemed it necessary to give the students a test that day, including Professor Snape who was not known to give tests when students expected them. He was a more "pop test" sort of teacher, and he seemed to enjoy the shocked and pained expressions that most students exhibited when they heard that their grade for the rest of the quarter depended on a three hundred point exam that they had no clue about.

Hermione leaned back on the cool stone and gazed at the sky. It looked just like the ceiling in the Grand Hall had during dinner. Or, rather, the ceiling in the Grand Hall had looked like _it_. The moon was nearly full in the sky above the castle. It reflected a crisp white light over the landscape beneath it. The stars glittered from their fixed positions in the constellations. Draco was clearly visible, Cassiopeia too. On the horizon she could see the Gemini twins. Hermione had always loved star gazing, especially ever since her parents had taken her camping in the moors when she was about six. She assumed that this was the point when her thirst for knowledge had first become unquenchable. The sky had just been so large and filled with secrets and hidden truths that she had been absolutely floored at the sudden realization of how insignificant the human race was in the grand scheme of things.

Now, she just missed her parents. She had not seen them since she left for school at the end of the summer. She had been planning to go home over the Christmas holidays, but Harry and Ron had asked her to stay behind with them. Hermione quickly became overwhelmed. Even though she would see her parents soon and even though she had chosen to go to Hogwarts, it still hurt her to be away from her parents. She curled into her school robes and cried softly. Maybe it was all too much. Maybe she should just relax her schedule a little bit. She really did not need the extra Arithmancy course that she had signed up for. She was basically teaching the class for the professor. Before she knew it, the girl had succumbed to the needs of her over tired body and dozed off.

It got chillier as the night wore on, and she subconsciously wrapped herself tighter in her cloak. She did not remember at what point she had stopped being cold, but when her tired brain had been able to register the fact that she was still outside and that, considering the state in which she fell asleep and the stone she was laying on, she should definitely be cold, she woke up with a start.

She was wrapped in a warm blanket and had extra warming charms centered around her. When she realized that she could not recognize the magical signature, she slowly reached for her wand which was still holstered around her arm.

"Don't even bother reaching for your wand," A deep rumbling voice said behind her, "I promise that you are in no harm and anybody who does try and harm you will have to go through me first." Hermione knew all too well who that voice belonged to.

_A/N: It didn't feel right having all that and ending it so abruptly. Anyway, our lovers needed a back story. I've decided that all the different parts to this will be written to a different Beethoven/Beethoven-related music. The first chapter was to his famous funeral march. This one is to the 1st movement of the Moonlight Sonata (Another favorite of mine.) As per usual, please send me corrections if there are any that need to be made. Merci beaucoup! Also note that this chapter is rather simple. I needed a segue into the scene, so to speak. The next few will be better._


	3. Chapter 3 - The Questions

_**Disclaimer:** I still have not magically transformed into Mme Rowling, as much as I would like to. The characters still belong to her. (But if I do... I'll let chu know.)_

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_**Chapter 3**_

** "Don't even bother reaching for your wand," A deep rumbling voice said behind her, "I promise that you are in no harm and anybody who does try and harm you will have to go through me first." Hermione knew all too well who that voice belonged to.**

"Why are you here?" Hermione did not turn around to look at the tall dower man.

"I was actually out here before you were this time, and assumed that you would not want to freeze to death in your sleep."

Hermione fixed her eyes on the water in front of her. "I would have thought that one small loss to the Gryffindor house would have had you casting extra freezing charms on me."

"You give me less credit than I believe I deserve, Miss Granger." His voice was even harder than before. "As much as I act as though hate everybody, I would never ever wish a painful death upon somebody who did not deserve it."

"That has never stopped you from killing though," Hermione said defensively. "I've heard stories. I know you're one of _them_. I know what _he _has you do. Please, I do read the Prophet..."

He did not respond for a long time. If she did not know any better, she would have though that she had hurt his feelings. Ha! Hurt the Bat of the Dungeon's feelings? The very idea was absurd. Hell would freeze over and Satan would wear a bright pink negligee with a purple and green polka dotted g-string before _that_ happened. The man had no feelings.

"Miss Granger..." She heard a new tone in his usually hard voice. Had she actually hurt him? "I _have_ killed people. I _have_ done horrid things to people. But, I have always made sure that they never feel it. There are spells, some of my own creation, that permit one to make one look as though the victim is being brutally tortured. If I am forced to kill... I have always done it in the quickest most humane way possible. They do not even feel the Killing Curse."

This surprised Hermione even more than the fact that she was wrapped in a green and silver trimmed blanked taking to the most feared professor in the entirety of Hogwarts history. She did not say anything, but slowly turned to look at the man who sat on one of the stone ledges behind her.

"Professor... Why are you telling me this?" She cautiously watched his every move as he stood up from the ledge and walked towards her.

"May I sit next to you?" He asked her as he moved closer to the edge of the stone.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I am sitting here apparently wrapped in a Slytherin blanket that you have provided for me, and you are still asking for my permission to sit on a _rock_?" Hermione could not figure out what was going on.

"No, Miss Granger," He nimbly sat down next to her and gazed out at the cold lake and the castle in the horizon, "I was brought up to respect women. Especially those who have earned my respect."

"_Earned _your respect?" This was just getting way too bizarre for Hermione's personal comfort.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Not only are you unarguably the brightest witch of you class, but you have blossomed into a wise and caring individual. One would have to be blind not to see what you do for the Messrs Potter and Weasley to keep their hides intact on a daily basis."

"Professor... I am very confused." Hermione did not know how else to finish the sentence. "I... um... Why are you suddenly complementing me? Last I checked I was a 'buck-toothed, little, bushy haired know-it-all that was incapable of keeping her mouth shut'?"

"Miss Granger, sometimes one must keep a facade. Even if it hurts other people." The Professor said calmly. "Especially if it will keep them alive. Trust me, Miss Granger, at that time, if I had allowed myself to compliment you the way you truly deserved, the _people_ I am indentured to would have found it necessary to eradicate the world of a mind more brilliant than that of their own progeny."

"Oh..." Hermione was not sure what to say next so she just kept silent.

"You would probably like to know why I am even out here." He looked at her, his black eyes searching hers as he waited for some sort of acknowledgement of his question. She slowly shook her head affirmatively. "Well, first of all, this was my favorite place to come when I was a student here at Hogwarts. It allowed me a place to escape and not worry about being... ridiculed." Hermione was now watching him inquisitively. "I was rather surprised to find you here on one of my visits earlier this year, but the look of anxiety on your face told me that it was time to share this spot with somebody else."

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione muttered.

"Anyway, when Minerva noted that a member of her house was disappearing for hours at a time, I made sure that Albus knew that you were in no harm and that you should be allowed to take part in these little escapades. I do believe Albus may have gotten the wrong idea as to why I know of your jaunts, but that is besides the point." Hermione was looking over the lake again, but she could almost hear him rolling his eyes as he spoke about Professor Dumbledore.

"And now, Miss Granger..." He paused as if to think about how he should word his next phrase, "I seem to need your assistance in something."

_A/N: My hunt for plot bunnies has been rather... fruitless. So, I'm trying something new. Basically, I am just sitting down and typing everything that comes to mind. I'm creating this all as I go along. Please, bear with me. Edits welcome, as usual. I'm also trying to get most of this part of the story up before I leave in the morning. (Going to have me some dreams come true in Florida! Wizarding World or Harry Potter, here I come!)_


	4. Chapter 4 - The Request

**Disclaimer:** I literally just misspelled 'disclaimer' as I typed it. I'm still not Mrs. Rowling. And the characters still belong to her. Yada, yada, yada. You get the idea? Good.

Chapter Music: Still the Moonlight Sonata

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_**Chapter 4**_

** "And now, Miss Granger..." He paused as if to think about how he should word his next phrase, "I seem to need your assistance in something."**

This caught Hermione by surprise. Not only was she sitting on a rock seeming to have a relatively decent conversation with the professor who had the tendency to scare the living daylights out of the entire student body as a whole, but he had just apologized for something and now he was asking her for a favor? Hell most definitely had frozen over.

"What... What could you possibly need my help with? And, why me, of all people?" She was now looking directly at her professor.

"I will answer your latter question first. Let me simply say that for some strange reason, I trust you. I cannot even begin to understand why, but I do. I am the kind of person who acts on his gut feelings. They have yet to prove me wrong." He paused and took a deep breath.

"As to your second question... I need your help. This is the location I apparate to when I return from _the_ meetings I am summoned to. When I was younger it was comforting to arrive here and just relax by the lake to clear my head. Now that _he_ is becoming more volatile, I often find myself on the receiving end of many of his less than gentle ministrations. I am afraid that at some point I will not be able to make it back to the castle." His words hung in the cold air. "I also do not want to make this a more public spot because it would ruin the tranquility of it all for both of us. It is a place I would rather not share with more people."

After a moment of silence, Hermione said "So, you want me to be able to come help you..."

"Yes. That would be... ideal. I hope you understand how difficult it is for one such as myself to ask for help." He sounded as though he would die of humiliation if word of this ever left the two of them.

"Yes, Professor, I do." Hermione shivered as another breeze blew over them. "Now, how can I know for sure that you are truly the Professor, and that this is not either some Death Eater ploy to get into the castle or a scheme to make me look like an absolute fool?"

"I can prove it all to you. In fact, I do believe Professor Dumbledore is waiting for us in his office." Professor Snape swiftly stood up and offered his hand to the young woman.

"So he would know about this?" Hermione questioned him as she took his proffered hand and stood up.

"Yes. It was under his advice that I decided to ask you. He did not recommend you, per se, but I do believe he knew that I had been considering you. He told me that he had a method of letting myself and whomever I ultimately chose contact each other in the case of an emergency."

"Alright, but Professor, please understand that I am still very unsure of this all. It is not everyday that the person whom you have believed to hate your very essence comes and requests something of such a... caliber."

"I understand, Miss Granger. I am unsure as well." Together they began walking back towards the the castle along the shore of the lake.

As they approached the castle, the Professor stopped short. "Would you mind if I disillusioned us and placed us under a 'notice-me-not' spell? I would hate to think about what would happen if we were found having being civil to one another."

"Please. For the sake of my nearly nonexistent reputation." Hermione managed to laugh. Nobody would question why she was talking to a teacher. Even Snape. That was just who she was.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the edge of his lip twitch infinitesimally. That was the closest thing she had ever seen him do that could even resemble a smile. He must really trust her to actually show a sense of emotion around her. This truly surprised her, but before she could think about it even more, he was already several paces ahead of her and she had to catch up with his long stride.

Together they made their way into the castle, neatly avoiding a collision with Peeves as he switched the colors on the house banners that hung just outside the Great Hall. Hermione could barely hold back her laughter as the Professor charmed the pot of glue that Peeves was using to turn into what looked like tapioca pudding as he tried to paste the new colors to each banner. The 'new and improved' Snape would take a lot of getting used to, but in Hermione's eyes, there was always room for a person to grow.

_A/N: Finally home! Vacation was amazing! Thank you all for the reviews and such! Getting to see them every morning on my e-mail over coffee made my day! We're still listening to the Moonlight Sonata here. I believe I will change the background music for the next chapter, due to my having exhausted all the plot bunnies that this piece could give me._


	5. Chapter 5 - The Plans

**Disclaimer:** _Wahusika wote katika fic hii ni mali ya JK Rowling na kwamba mimi si kulipwa kwa kuandika hii._

_(It means that all the characters in this fic belong to the illustrious J.K. Rowling and that I am not paid to write this... in Swahili.)_

**Chapter Music: **_The Beethoven for this part is the Pastoral Symphony (6). This is definitely a longer chapter than the last few._

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_**~Chapter 5~**_

Hermione and the Professor made their way through the castle, disillusioned so that nobody would notice them as they passed. As they walked by the great hall, they saw somebody hiding in the shadows behind a tapestry.

"It's alright, Mr. Filch. 'Tis just I," Snape said and the elderly caretaker stepped out from behind the old but well cared for piece of woven fabric.

"Surprised to see the likes of you out here now, Professor," the old man muttered, "Thought yo' shift ended a few hours ago."

"Couldn't resist the temptation of catching more brats out of bed at this hour of the morning."

"That's why I like you, professor. Wish there were more like you here. I'll be off then." With that, the old man hobbled away, muttering to himself about finding Mrs. Norris and feeding her.

Hermione and Snape continued on their trek to the Headmaster's office. Once they reached the statue, Snape muttered "Maltesers," the current password.

The statue moved out of the way to reveal the winding staircase that led to the headmaster's office and quarters. The two made their way up into the office where the wise old headmaster sat, obviously waiting for them. Hermione felt the incantations that she was under dissolve and she and the professor came into full view in front of the headmaster.

"Ah! I'm glad you were able to join me! Please, have a seat," The elderly man said cheerfully waving his hand and conjuring a large comfortable looking sofa in front of his desk, his eyes twinkling with mischief as they usually did. Hermione sat down, but Snape opted to pace around the edge of the room. "Miss Granger, I like your blanket, it it a loan, I presume? Green and silver are definitely your colors. Would you care for a lemon drop?" The headmaster said, offering Hermione a tin of small yellow sugar dusted candies. She blushed, politely refused the candies, and unwrapped the Slytherin blanket from her shoulders, and handed it back to the Professor who made it disappear with a wave of his wand. "Severus, my boy, I understand that you're anxious, but, please, do sit down. If not for your nerves, then my own. It's no wonder you are so healthy with all that pacing you constantly do, my boy!"

Seeing that there was obviously no other option, Snape seated himself gracefully at the farthest end of the couch, wrapping his billowing robes around himself.

"Now, I do believe we are all here for a reason, and we should probably get this all dealt with before sunrise," the headmaster said, popping a lemon flavored candy into his mouth. "Miss Granger, I'm sure that Severus has explained the... situation to you?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione sat, fidgeting her thumbs.

"Alright then." The headmaster leaned back in his chair and touched his fingers together in front of his face. "I have been trying to find a proper way to go about this. Everything that I could find seems overly complicated, except for one thing that is actually a combination of two things that would have to work together." He paused, looking as though he was weighing every single possible consequence his actions could possibly have.

"At this point, though I do not like it, I will agree to most anything you suggest, so long as we also have Miss Granger's consent," The potions master said from his side of the couch.

"Very well then. Basically, the easiest, safest, and least detectable thing to do would be to link your minds together and create a bond between the two of you." Hermione drew in a sharp breath. The headmaster continued, "It would be almost like the bond that forms between couples who are married under ancient magic, however you would not be married. Simply... bonded."

"That is utterly absurd, Headmaster," Snape's instant reply was. "Why would I want to subject Miss Granger to the inner mechanics of my convoluted mind?"

"Knowing both of you well enough, I know that the two of you would _respect_ the _privacy_ of each other's thoughts, and only use the connection for the needed purposes. The thing is, because it is under ancient magic, nobody else would be able to detect it, even a skilled Legilimens such as Severus here, myself, or even the Dark Lord," the headmaster finished and looked and the two occupants of the sofa.

Hermione was the first to speak, "If it is what is necessary to the situation... I do trust the professor. But what does the bonding entail, specifically? and what about getting to the professor when he needs assistance? how would that work? Also, what about after the war is over, Gods willing? What happens then?"

"Ah, Miss Granger, never one to miss any details," the headmaster smiled at her proudly. "The bonding will simply be a short ceremony that we can do tonight after the two of you spend the day considering the option and reaching a decision. As to finding and reaching the professor, I have something I can give you to keep on your person that will act as a port key to wherever Severus may be. You will have to decide on a word to activate it, but we can take care of that after the ceremony. After the war is over... Well, I think it safest to leave that until the war is over and then figure it out. So many things could happen, it would be... risky to even attempt to plan so far in the future."

"So we are basically getting married?" Snape was staring at the headmaster as though he had suddenly revealed that he would be playing seeker for the Chudley Cannons in the next World Cup.

"Less formally and only for the benefit of the mental connection. _Nothing else_ is required." The old man reassured the potions professor, watching him pensively.

"Look, professor," Hermione addressed her teacher, "Thinking about this is terms of the situation we are in with the war, if it is necessary for the good of the light side and the ultimate defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, you and I could be sharing quarters and wearing matching outfits for all I care."

"You are such a Gryffindor, Miss Granger." Snape was astonished that she would willingly sacrifice her mental freedom for him, the hated dungeon bat. "Please understand that I appreciate your assistance."

"But, Miss Granger also brings up another good point!" The headmaster interrupted. "We do not want anybody to begin to suspect this... situation. Miss Granger, I think it wise for you to consider coming up with a situation that may explain your occasional absences for your friends. Also, I would like for you to consider having a your own set of rooms near by to those of Severus here, just in case your assistance is needed for longer periods of time or simply you are too tired to return to the common room dormitories. We can have your portkey spelled to transport you to your other rooms with another password. We will also take care of that and setting up rooms for you in the dungeons tonight." Hermione nodded and stifled a yawn that had crept up on her.

"Well, it seems that you both have a long day ahead of you and much to think about, so please, do not let me keep you from much needed sleep. I will owl you both at breakfast with information as to where to meet. Miss Granger I trust you possess the knowledge needed to disillusion yourself? Good. Severus please escort Miss Granger back to her common room. Disillusioning is a always good idea, we don't want anybody to see you. Good morning!"

And with that dismissal, Hermione and Snape stood up and left.

They arrived at the portrait to the Gryffindor common room with out running into any major conflicts and Hermione bid the professor a hasty 'good morning' before releasing the notice-me-not incantation that she had placed on herself and gently waking up the grumpy Fat Lady and giving her the password of the week.

She made her way up into the dormitory she shared with her friends and collapsed on her four poster bed. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep tonight. There were no classes today since it was a Saturday, so with a large cup of coffee at breakfast later on, she was sure she would be fine. Laying on top of her blankets, shoes and school robes still on, she went over all the events that she had just lived through. The time at the rock by the lake, falling asleep, the cold, the warmth when the professor had given her a blanket, talking with the professor... The professor whom she had feared for nearly five years now... The one to whom she was going to be bound by an ancient magic marriage ritual tonight.

_HOLY SHITE. _

Dumbledore had assured her that it was only there for the mental connection that would serve as an incognito method of communication when it was needed. However one thing really bothered Hermione. Actually, make that more than two things, because she had just thought of another and she was sure that she would think of more the more she thought about it.

First, this mental connection was there between the two of them... How was she to know if it could be shut on and off? For example, would it just be an easy method for Snape to get into her head? Also, how could she be certain that she could still have any privacy? As much as she hated to admit it, she would hate to have the professor be subjected to some of her more... lewd thoughts. She was also certain that the professor would rather have things kept private as well.

Secondly, from what she knew of ancient magic in general, two parties could not undergo these sacred rituals unless the ancient magic deemed them... well... proper for each other. Would the ancient magic be compatible between herself and the professor? Would it understand what they needed it for and let them use it even though they would not technically be married? Ancient magic was complex and extremely volatile.

The questions kept flying through her overtired mind until she fell asleep, still sprawled across her bed.

She awoke less than three hours later when Lavender opened the curtains on her bed and poked her until she was pulled out of the restless sleep she had fallen into.

"Jeez, Mione..." The homey, brown-haired girl said looking at her wrinkled robes, "I'm glad it's the weekend and the elves are due to pick up out laundry today. You've never slept in your robes before... Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yes... I'm fine... Just a long night."

"I gathered as much... but yesterday was Friday? You could have studied today and just slept yesterday..." Lavender went over to Hermione's bureau and took out a her favorite pair of jeans and a muggle tee-shirt she loved and handed them to her.

"I just needed to get an essay done," Hermione played up the farce, "It was a corrections assignment for Professor Snape. You know how he is with our work..."

"You are too hard on yourself Hermione... How long have you been asleep?"

"I honestly don't know... I just wanted to get it done and over with so I could deliver it this morning over breakfast." She had in fact done an assignment for Snape the day before, but she had finished it early, leaving her time to go out to the lake.

"I envy you, Mione..." Her friend said as she gave her the clothing and left the room to give her a little privacy. "Breakfast's in half an hour. I'll be down in the common room."

She changed out of her old robes and into her comfortable muggle clothing, pulled a hair brush through her knotted mass of hair, grabbed her assignment for Snape, and walked out into the day, nearly tripping over the first step down into the common room. Yes, a cup of coffee would be a very good idea. Maybe even two, or three, or possibly more than that.

Hermione had taken Professor Snape her paper right as she had entered the hall, and then she had sat down to add some food and caffeine into her blood stream. Breakfast had been uneventful, just the usual on going battle to avoid the latest quiddich discussion between Harry and Ron.

And then the owl post arrived. Several hundred owls swooped into the great all and pelted students with letters from home, parcels or sweets, and the like. Hermione felt extra special today when she got not one, but three owls. The first was a loving letter from her mother and father, updating her on the goings on of their dental practice, and congratulating her on her most recent high achievements. She loved that her parents tried so hard to understand her new life just so the she would feel loved and welcomed and not feel like a stranger in her own family.

The second was a simple note that read:

_Hermione-_

_10:45 P.M., Room of Requirements. I trust you know where that is. Destroy this as soon as you can. -A.P.W.B.D._

She promptly took out her wand and incinerated the not in her signature spell of blue flames. She answered the questioning look she received with a simple explanation of "Note my parents decided to send me from a former boyfriend that I have absolutely no interest in." Her friends nodded, obviously pleased with the explanation, and returned to their breakfast and discussions.

The third and final note was written in an elegant but sharp and spiked script and was not signed. All is said was:

_Miss Granger- Thought I should tell you- Don't bother doing any research. Already tried. Nothing an ancient magic such as this, even in the restricted section. One tome in my own collections claims there are simply too few noted cases. Get sleep. You'll need it. Destroy this._

Hermione spent a few seconds memorizing the spikey handwriting and then incinerated it as well, regaining the attention of her friends.

"He was very persistent," she explained, shrugging. They laughed a little bit, and once again returned to their own business.

Hermione swept the ashes from the notes off the table and stood up to leave the great hall, taking a mug of strong black coffee with her. She would be damned if she let even one day of studying go to waste. Even though she was initially planning on going and doing research on ancient magic, she decided to trust Snape's research on a whim and go collect her books and have an all day relaxed study session for her other classes. She might even fit in a nap right after lunch and then a shower after dinner. She refused to let _tonight_ weigh on her mind too much. If she did, she would begin second guessing herself. She felt that she had to go through with it, for her sake, for Snape's sake, and for the sake of the Order and the Light. It was something she could do to contribute, and though it would not be much, it had the possibility of being very beneficial in the way the war would finally be waged.

_A/N: Hello folks! Finally got to do a little more writing. I'm on vacation right now so I have time. The only problem is that the heat is out in my house because a thermocouple blew out inside our heater and the plumber cannot come until tomorrow afternoon... So I'm literally sitting under a pile of six blankets with my dog, my laptop, & a bag of Dark Chocolate Hershey's kisses, typing away... with gloves on. This is fun._

_Thanks for all the rates and reviews and such! It's a huge honor to know that people are actually reading this!_


	6. Chapter 6 - The Day

**Disclaimer:** I own none of the characters and only (ab)use them to the best of my ability. (Ooh... did I say that out loud?) JK Rowling is my goddess.

**Chapter Music: **The Beethoven for this part is the Pastoral Symphony (6).

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_**~Chapter 6~**_

After dinner, Hermione excused herself from her friends company, pleading over tiredness from staying up too late studying and working, and made her way back to her dormitory. The great part about that excuse was that nobody would think twice about it if they knew her well enough. It was quarter to nine, and she had to be up in the Room of Requirement at ten forty-five, that left her the whole of two hours to prepare for her impromptu whatever-the-heck-it-was to Snape. Well, she had not had time to shower this morning, and she definitely wanted to be presentable for the whatever-the-heck-it-was, so she grabbed her bathrobe and made her way over to the baths that the Gryffindor girls shared.

After her shower, she dried off, wrapped herself in her robe and went back to her room where Lavender and Ginny were sitting on their beds talking.

"Oh! It's you! We thought you were already asleep!" A startled Ginny motioned towards the closed curtains on Hermione's bed.

"No, no, not yet. I needed a shower." Hermione laughed, opened the curtains on her bed, and sat down on the edge facing her friends. "Say, Ginny, could you help me with my hair?"

"Of course! Do you just want me to dry it? Or style it too?" The younger girl asked pulling her want out of her robes. The young witch had a magical touch that was able to beat any sort of unruly tresses into submission.

"Anything you want," Hermione said, trying to sound vague intentionally in order not to give anything away, "As long as it's manageable."

It took Ginny less than ten minutes to finish doing Hermione's hair, and the finished product was beautiful. Gone were the mass of tangles and knotted bushiness that the professor himself had insulted all those years ago. In its place, her hair fell in sleek wavy tresses that cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall.

"Wow! Mione! You look fantastic!" Lavender ogled the miracle that had taken place right before her very eyes.

"Goodness, Ginny... You have to teach me to do that someday," Hermione laughed as she ran her hand through her hair. "Now, I hate to be anti-social, but I'm really tired... I think I'm just going to put out my clothes for tomorrow and hit the sack." The other girls wished her a good night and continued their conversation in hushed

tones as to not bother her.

She went over to her bureau, chose another pair of comfortable jeans, and a more elegant blouse and a simple black robe that she could wear over the ensemble. The dungeons tended to get chilly at night, and she would hate to get sick at the point when she was supposed to be helping somebody else. At the same time, she wanted to look relatively good for the whatever-the-heck-it-was. She tucked her clothing into the corner of her fourposter so that she could change later on.

Hermione laid down on her bed and closed the curtains. She waited a few moments before casting a quick muffliato and a notice-me-not around her fourposter, ensuring that she would be able to change into her clothing in peace and not alert her roommates to what she was doing.

Once Hermione was in her clean clothes, she strapped her wand to the holster the had attached around her forearm. Now the only think she could do was wait...

Her muggle watch read nine thirty.

An hour and fifteen minutes.

An hour and fifteen minutes way too long.

She decided to take this time to write to her parents.

"_Dear Mum & Dad,_

_ Thank you for your letter this morning! You cannot even understand how much it means to me to know that no matter what you are always there for me. I love you both so much, and I truly miss you._

_ I wanted to have you be the first to know that I have decided to add an extra course this upcoming semester. It will be a sort of extra study course, since there are no other students here that are qualified to take it other than myself. Looking at my schedule right now, I just needed another extra challenge. You know? At this point the only problem I can foresee, is the question of extra time. I'm just letting you know about this right now because I do not want you to unnecessarily worry if I do not, say, write back in such a timely manner as I have been able to recently._

_ I know that you will probably worry about me, but please do not. I can guarantee to you that if I did not believe I could handle it, I would not decide to take it._

_ How are Aunt Alice and little Celia doing? Can you please send me some photos of Celia the next time you write? She must be growing up so quickly... I wish I was there to see it. _

_ Lots of love, _

_ Hermione J. Granger"_

Hermione rewrote the letter three times to ensure that none of the ink was smudged, there were no spelling mistakes, and that it was more coherent than the thoughts that were going through her head. She decided that she would rush to the owlry before breakfast tomorrow and send the letter. That would guarantee it's arrival before supper that next day day. Without further ado, she sealed it shut with a piece of lavender colored ribbon she had purchased in Hogsmeade two weeks ago, and tucked it into the front pocket of her robes.

Ten ten P.M. She would leave in ten minutes, ensuring that she had plenty of time to sneak into the Room of Requirement without being caught along the way.

The young witch laid back on her bed thinking about what she was about to undertake. Pfft... School girls bonded themselves to their professors under rituals of ancient magic everyday... Right? She had absolutely nothing to be afraid of. However, for some reason, she could not bring that idea to bother her very much. She believed that what she was doing was the right thing to do, and she also knew that it was never a good thing to re-examine issues once one had decided on them. There was so much potential for something to go totally wrong with this plan, but... Something told her that everything would be alright in the end.

At ten twenty, on the dot, Hermione cast a disillusionment and a notice-me-not spell on herself. She also took an extra precaution to cast a simple silencing charm on her feet, to make sure that her shoes made no noise and brought no attention to herself.

She charmed her blankets to look as though there was somebody sleeping underneath them, just in case her roommates decided to check on her before she returned. She ended the incantations she had placed on her bed so as to not disturb her friends and peeked through the curtains of her four poster, looking to make sure that nobody was awake. She was greeted with the no sound or lights save Lavender's light snores, and then she slipped from the room.

There were still some people in the common room talking, playing chess, and reading in front of the fire, so she stuck to the wall and crept past them. Nobody even batted an eyelid as she cautiously slipped through the portrait hole and out of the common room.

Once in the hall way, she surveyed her surroundings, making sure that there was nobody in sight that she would run into. She lucked out because the hall way was deserted. She snuck down the stair well, praying to Merlin that they wouldn't chose this time of the night to shift and strand her on some other floor.

She had nearly made it to the bottom step, when she heard the tell tale signs of the stairs beginning to shift. Notably, the stair case that she was standing on. She let out a little yelp and clung to the banister for dear life.

The stair case shifted to the other side of the castle from where Hermione wanted to be. She waited to get up to allow her stomach a moment to settle after the sudden unexpected movement and she also did not want to draw any attention to herself lest the stair cases had deposited her in the direct path of a sentry or teacher. The notice-me-not and disillusionment spell combination worked very well, but if the other person was attuned to that specific combination, they would easily be able to pick out the spelled individual.

Hermione slowly turned around, releasing the banister that she was clinging onto for dear life and straightened up, just to come nearly face to face with a very angry looking Argus Filch.

"I know you're here, ya' scoundrel!" The old man growled glancing up and down the staircase. "If ya' hadn't realized it, the stairs onleh move when there's summat or sum-one on 'em. I know yo' there," He paused and glared up and down the staircase again. "Drop all ya' spells now, an' you'll get into less punishment later." Hermione weighed her options. She could either reveal herself or pray to Merlin that Filch ultimately gave up. Just then, Filch decided to start climbing the stair case, looking like an absolute mad man as he tried to span the width of each stair so that nobody could escape. "I know ya' some'er up here, ya' nit-whit."

He was less than three steps away from Hermione when another figure materialized on the stairs behind him.

"Mister Filch, is everything quite alright?" Hermione had never been happier before in her life to see the head master.

"There's a student on the stairs, sir. Cannut see 'im, but he's here, alright."

"My dear Mister Filch, I must say that I can guarantee you that there are no students here right now." The wise wizard scaled the staircase and stopped on the step just below the one on which Hermione stood. He turned his back to her and discreetly offered her his hand as he once again addressed the old caretaker.

"Mister Filch, I promise you that there is nobody here, however," He paused and squeezed Hermione's hand reassuringly, "if there is anybody here I would very much appreciate it if they revealed themselves through respect for both myself and that of this fine school." He let his words hang in the air for several long tense seconds.

"Well, my dear Mister Filch, it looks as though we have nothing to worry about! And with that, I shall wish you a good night, sir, for I hear a delicious cup of elderberry tea with two cubes of sugar and a trollop of cream calling my name at the moment." And with that final farewell, Dumbledore pulled Hermione down one flight of stairs and up another until they reached the hall which housed the Room of Requirement. The door of said room stood ajar when they arrived, a faint flickering glow emanating from within.

_A/N: Hello all! Thank you so much for the really sweet reviews you have all left. They literally make my day so much better. I'm still not sure what I'm planning to do with this plot line, but I can already tell that it's going to take quite a while to get there. So, for now, I'm just going to go chapter by chapter. If you have any ideas, tell me! I'm definitely willing to add some bunnies here and there is they fit properly._

_Yes, my heat was fixed finally! You cannot truly appreciate the miracles of modern heating systems until you have to go a few days without them. _


	7. Chapter 7 - The Tasks & The Ceremony

**Disclaimer:** Neither am I JK Rowling, nor do I own any of her characters. Even though I would love to have my own Sev clone...

**Chapter Music:** This part had to be written to the Pastoral Symphony, because it's what I have been listening to these last few weeks, on repeat, nonstop.

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_******~Chapter 7~**_

_ "Well, my dear Mister Filch, it looks as though we have nothing to worry about! And with that, I shall wish you a good night, sir, for I hear a delicious cup of elderberry tea with two cubes of sugar and a trollop of cream calling my name at the moment." And with that final farewell, Dumbledore pulled Hermione down one flight of stairs and up another until they reached the hall which housed the Room of Requirement. The door of said room stood ajar when they arrived, a faint flickering glow emanating from within._

The headmaster held the door open for Hermione, and she went in. The room was very different from anything she had ever seen it become before. It was like walking into a small, square, private courtyard. The pathway they were on was bordered with low cut rose bushes, just beginning to flower a beautiful shade of burgundy. Right in the center was a large brick circle patio and above was the open night sky which was twinkling with stars, or at least, what the room made to seem like the night sky. It was a magical castle, so anything could be possible.

To one corner of the courtyard was a small area with a large elegantly designed wrought-iron bench and another smaller bench. It too was surrounded with the beautiful rose bushes. In the two corners that were on the opposite sides of the door, were two different portcullis' that seemed to lead into other parts of the garden. And in the final corner was a door, a plain and simple black wood door. Snape stood in the middle of the center patio, seeming to wait for them. He was leaning over a large fire pit that was in the center of patio that was the source of the light for the entire courtyard.

"Hello, again, my boy!" The headmaster jovially greeted his former student. "I have found our damsel in distress. I will never understand how you always seem to know when something is going wrong." Dumbledore strode into the middle of the circle, Hermione following behind him.

"Sir, in all my years of teaching Miss Granger, she has always been perfectly punctual. It was simply not like her to be more than one minute late to anythig."

"I much appreciate your concern, Sir," Hermione addressed her professor, "I think that if the Headmaster had not arrived when he did, I would have severely embarrassed myself in front of Mr. Filch."

"Well, enough with the small chat, I think we should get this ceremony over with, and then we can figure everything else out. Agreed?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Yes, sir." Hermione stepped into the center of the patio.

"You are certain that you want to go through with this, Miss Granger?" Snape eyed her suspiciously.

"Please, sir, I want to help."

"Alright, if you're sure," Hermione could not tell if he was angry at her willingness to aid him or if he was simply agreeing to letting her help him. One could never tell with him.

Dumbledore spoke up again, "There are three important parts to this ceremony. Three parts

which will bind the two of you together through the most ancient magic in the world. There are three tasks which you must accomplish together, to prove yourselves worthy enough to be bonded by the magic. The first task lies through the door on my right, your left. Within that door, you must face whatever there is, without fear. The same goes for the door on my left." The elderly professor gazed at them over his half-moon spectacles. "Be warned: They who wander this path full of hardship, become clean through fire, water, air, and earth. If they the terror of death can overcome, they shall vault from the earth, heavenward. Illuminated., they shall be in good standing, consecrated to each other and to the magic that binds them forever." Hermione and Snape nodded their assent to the terms. "You must give me your wands as you face these tasks, in order to test yourselves and each other." The wise wizard held out his hand and both Hermione and the professor gave him their wands. "Now, your tasks await you through that gate. I will be here. Trust each other and go."

Hermione looked up at her professor, who led the way through the first gate. First they were met with absolute blackness. The next thing they knew, they were standing in dimly lit a cave. The ledge they stood on protruded about three feet over what sounded like a roaring river. Only after a few moments of trying to figure out what was going on did they begin to hear the faint cracking sound that was emanating from the ledge they were standing on.

"Of course we would have to deal with a task that was centered around my greatest fear..." Hermione groaned as she pressed herself tightly against the wall.

"Yes, I assumed that you may be either afraid of heights or falling when you hung out with the two largest quiddich dunderheads in our school and yet refused to play." Snape said back to her as he too pressed himself up against the wall.

"Falling, not a fan of falling. I appreciate your observing skills, however, I want to get out of here as soon as possible. Even though Dumbledore said they nothing bad could truly happen to us, I really don't like this one bit."

"The Gryffindor Princess afraid of something as simple as falling. I can guarantee to you that we will be completely safe." Just as he finished speaking, the rock ledge began to tremble and the stone around the edges began to disintegrate. Snape watched as Hermione went completely white. "Miss Granger, take my hand, and hold on tight." Hermione reached out and clutched the long fingered hand that was being offered to her.

"Why should I hold tight? What are we going to do?" she looked as though she was going to lose her supper.

"The best thing we can do is to jump. Together. There is water beneath us. The worst thing that could happen is that we hit the water a little bit hard, and it certainly defeats falling into the water in a rush of debris and stone, and potentially getting injured." He gripped her hand tightly. "If we are lucky, removing our own weight from this ledge may just stop it from crumpling" The rock they were standing on groaned again.

"How do we jump?" Hermione asked him nervously.

"Walk over towards me, if we hug each other and wrap our cloaks around each other we will land a little bit easier, and any debris that may potentially hurt us will just hit our cloaks." Hermione nodded, and walked slowly towards her professor and soon to be partner in crime. He opened his arms to the frightened young woman who wrapped herself around him. She took a moment to appreciate the warmth that emanated from beneath his clothing. She found it oddly comforting. "I will walk us towards the edge, and on my count, we will jump." She nodded against his chest. They carefully walked towards the edge. "Miss Granger, do you trust me?"

"Yes I do," came the young woman's muffled reply.

"I don't know what I have done to earn your trust, especially considering all the horrid things I have done to you an your friends, but please know that I truly appreciate your trust. It means a lot to me." He took a deep breath, "We will jump in three... two... one... now." Right before their feet left the ledge, he tightened his arms around her.

Together, they fell. The rushing of the water coming closer and closer to them. They fell through time, space, and things that no science or magic would ever be able to explain. As they fell, the slowly realized that the further they went, the location of the sound of the water changed. Where as it was below them, it was now above them. And then, light as a feather, they were set on top of a soft patch of what felt like grass.

"You have returned!" They heard Dumbledore call from just outside the gate they had just walked through to enter the cave, only now, this side of the gate was just a continuation of the garden that was the Room of Requirements.

They carefully disentangled themselves from each other, trying to save what little self respect each of them still had. They still stood close together as they walked through the arbor into the garden that the headmaster was standing in.

"Well, only two more tasks. I trust you survived the first one well enough?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione said as she looked up at her professor who had just nearly saved her life.

"Alright, well, off you go," Dumbledore said pointing them in the direction of the second door. Hermione hesitated a little bit, but Snape reassuringly took her hand and off they went.

They had no less than stepped through the arbor when they found themselves inside a dungeon surrounded by death eaters. Hermione his out of the line of their line of sight behind Snape.

"Ah, well I see the traitor has decided to arrive again!" One of the death eaters said in a raspy voice.

"And look how considerate he was! He brought along a toy for us to play with!" Another one on the other side of the circle chuckled. Hermione could see from the point where she was that Snape was not too happy about the situation they were in. Dumbledore had promised that they would be completely safe, and this did not feel very safe. One of the death eaters moved to grab Hermione's arm, but Snape threw himself in the way.

"Take me, not the girl."

"Well, Severus, I hate to oppose you, but she's no girl anymore. This young woman has truly blossomed. Leave her to us, she'll be fine!" The first death eater scoffed.

"You. Will. Not. Touch. Her."

"I think that we will have whatever we want, Severus. The Dark Lord himself granted it to us. But, if you feel so strongly about it, then why not touch her yourself? We can make you do that, you know," The other death eaters laughed.

"_NO_." Snape, stood guard in front of Hermione, shielding her from any danger.

"Well, that was the wrong answer, Snape. You loose this time. Tough luck for you." The second death eater pulled out his wand, "_Crucio._"

Hermione watched, paralyzed with fear as Snape fell to the ground, writhing in the excruciating pain. She could not protect herself from the men's magic since she had no want, but she had to do something to stop them from hurting Snape anymore.

"What do you want from us?" She said, addressing the crowd of death eaters.

"Nothing you couldn't give us, sweet thing," another death eater said. His voice was eerily familiar, but Hermione could not place it.

"Take whatever you want. Just don't hurt Severus."

"Severus, is it then? I didn't know the two of you were on a first name basis..." Another masked death eater spoke up.

"_Shut. Up._" Her eyes did not leave her professor who was still writing on the floor under the curse. She had to do something.

"Enough playing," the first death eater said, "I'm getting hungry. Come on, gentlemen, I do believe we have a feast waiting for us, and from the looks of her, she promises to be quite... scrumptious." The group of death eaters began to advance on Hermione and the incapacitated Snape.

"Her-mione. R-un." A raspy and tight voice came from the floor. Snape was watching her.

"No. I'm not leaving you here."

"_RUN_. N-ow."

"No. I'm not leaving you here, Severus. I love you too much to let you just stay here and get killed!" Merlin's saggy y-fronts... Had she just said that? She let it out of her mind, assuming that he probably had not heard her anyway.

And then an idea dawned upon her. Just because she did not have her wand... Did not mean that she could not protect herself... She doubted it would work, but if needed she would try it was a last resort.

The first few death eaters were only a few feet away from them at this point. Inside herself, Hermione gathered all the energy she was able to find. She had never tried wandless magic in her life, but she prayed to Merlin that it would work and that what she had read in the books was true and applicable. She gathered all the energy she would find, including her fear and her anger and combined it all. Then, she pushed it out of herself through her right hand, straight up in the air.

She heard the death eaters gasp in horror. She laid her left hand on Severus' chest, and with all her might, she willed the energy magic into a protective barricade between herself, Severus and their onslaught of attackers. She could feel the raw, untrained magic sizzle in the air as it separated them from the death eaters. The flames of fire that were formed by the magic encircled them completely and domed over them. Hermione heard Snape gasp for air as the curse was lifted off him. Once the magical barrier was formed completely around them, everything else, including the dungeon, disintegrated, and the two of them were left in the open garden in the Room of Requirements under a barrier of sizzling magic.

Hermione did not even realize that they had returned until she felt Severus' arms wrap around her.

"You are too much of a Gryffindor. Have you ever conjured wandless magic before?"

"No," Hermione hid herself in his arms, enjoying the comfort before she had to face reality once again.

"It was beautiful to watch. You stayed to protect me. I have always been afraid of being abandoned. Abandoned and helpless." Hermione hugged him tighter. "However, I think that now the headmaster would like to have a word with us. He seems a little unnerved that he cannot break through your magic.

Hermione looked up at what she had created, and with a flick of her wrist, it disappeared.

"Well, you seem to have completed two of your tasks successfully. He looked at the faint scorch marks that marred the otherwise pristine grass where Hermione's magical barrier had been. He chuckled softly. "One's first wandless magic is a beautiful thing, but that was especially incredible. Now, let us continue to the final task: The ceremony itself." He led the way into the center of the patio circle. He instructed Hermione to stand on one side of the fire pit and Severus to stand on the other. With a flick of his wrist the flames that came out of the pit turned a strange shade of dark purple. He pulled two pieced of cord out of his robes.

"They have wandered this path full of hardship, become clean through fire, water, air, and earth. The terror of death the have overcome. And now they shall vault from the earth, heavenward. Illuminated, they shall now and forever be in good standing, consecrated to each other and to the magic that shall now bind them forever." With that he handed Severus the dagger. "The man swears to give his life to the woman. Forever connected. Please prick your ring finger and put five drops of blood onto the woman's hand." Snape did as he was instructed, and Hermione accepted the blood in her own palm. "And now the woman swears to give her life to the man. Forever connected. Please prick your ring finger and deposit five drops of blood into the man's hand." Hermione did as she was told, and returned the dagger to Dumbledore.

"Now, connect your palms together. Unite as man and woman." Dumbledore wrapped one end of the golden cord around Hermione's hand and one end of the silver cord around Severus' hand. Hr proceeded to intricately knot the the cords around Snape and Hermione's hands. "You have overcome true obstacles to prove yourselves. Now you shall be together." The flames lept up from the fire pit and engulfed both of their hands, but did not burn them. The cords began to shimmer and then after a few moments, the flames extinguished themselves. In their place around Severus and Hermione's hands was a glowing silver and gold orb. With each word that Dumbledore chanted in some ancient spell language that even Hermione did not know, the orb grew larger and larger until it completely engulfed the couple. And then it popped. The cords were gone, but there was a sharp pain around their ring fingers.

"It is complete," Dumbledore said. "Let us sit down and figure things out."

_ I thought we would be able to hear each other... _Hermione thought to herself. She watched Snape raise his head and meet her eyes, raising one of his eyebrows.

_ I do believe that we can,_ a smirk appeared on his face. _Let's go sit, and then we can test this as much as we want._

_A/N: I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update this. These last few weeks have been insanely busy. In the little bit of free time, I was able to jot down some notes about what I wanted to do with this chapter, so here goes. _


	8. Chapter 8 - The Morning

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Wait no... I should say that I do not own all the characters except the 'vampire.' He's mine. All mine.

**Chapter Music: **Still the Pastoral Symphony. It's just on repeat in my head recently.

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

_******~Chapter 8~**_

Hermione followed Snape over to the corner of the garden that had the single chair and the benches.

"Well, now that it is complete, we should probably discuss what will happen next," the headmaster said as he gracefully sat down on the single chair. Hermione and Severus sat on the bench trying to keep a respectful distance from each other.

"The first thing that you should make sure to always remember about the bond is that like most ancient magic, it will be unpredictable," Dumbledore eyed them over his half-moon spectacles. "For all I have discovered in my studies of this ancient ritual, I have learned that the reason for the mental connection is to ensure faithfulness from both partners. In this case, though, we are manipulating it for our benefit." The old mad adjusted his robes around his chair and continued, "I beg you to be very careful with the magic that binds you. It can be very easily... galvanized."

Hermione caught the questioning glare that Severus (she may as well call him that not that they were mentally bonded and she was his caretaker) was giving the old man.

"Now, Miss Granger, have you considered how you will explain your strange absences to your friends?"

"Yes, sir, I was hoping you would allow me the excuse of apprenticing myself to Madam Pomphrey? I can only expect that she understands Severus' situation having taken care of him before. Also, it will make more sense to my friends if I say that I am spending my nights out of the dormitory helping her. It would not be too strange for them to comprehend." Hermione paused, looking up at the wise, old man before continuing again, "Also, it would look strange for me to be constantly running to see her for healing potions and supplies otherwise."

"I am proud that you think so far into the future, my girl!" Dumbledore smiled at her. "Yes, your idea definitely makes sense. Call Poppy in tomorrow morning to discuss this with her. Another thing though, what about your family? What do you wish to tell them?"

"Well, I wrote them a letter explaining that I am taking an extra course this semester. I told them that if I am not quite as punctual in responding to their letters, that will be why, and I promised them that I would get back to them as soon as I could."

"A wise choice," The headmaster turned from his focus on Hermione to address both Severus and her now. "Now, I do believe we discussed how we would go about transporting Hermione to you, Severus, in the unfortunate case of your injury." Both Hermione and the professor nodded. "Well because of the anti-apparition wards placed on the castle, apparating is surely out of our choice." He reached into his robes and withdrew a small package wrapped in parchment paper from one of his pockets.

"This will serve to transport you, Hermione. It is a portkey of sorts that is trained on Severus. It will only activate when speak a certain password that you assign to it. Likewise, with another password, it will transport you to your rooms in Severus' quarters," He handed Hermione the package which she took and began to unwrap.

As the brown parchment paper slid away under her fingers, she found a beautiful pendant of a golden lioness entwined with silver snake. Upon further inspection, she found that the eyes of the lion were blood red rubies, and the eyes of the snake were beautiful green emeralds.

"It was goblin crafted about 700 years ago," the headmaster said noting Hermione's sudden fascination with the article of jewelry.

"But, Sir! This is priceless! You couldn't possibly just give it to me to use like this!" Hermione stuttered as she gazed at the pendant in her hand.

"Trust me, my girl, when I say that at this moment you have more use for it than I do," he smiled at the speechless girl. "Also, I do believe that the design is quite fitting for this, your current situation, am I right Severus?"

Snape leaned over Hermione's hands and studies the pendant. "Yes. Quite."

"Now, let us set the passwords. What do you wish to be the first password, the one to transport you to Severus?"

"Coricopat."

"Coricopat? Alright." The headmaster pulled out his wand and muttered an incantation under his breath. Hermione wished she could lipread in different languages, but for the life of her she could not place the spell he was using on the pendant. She and Severus watched as a faint purple light began to shimmer around the pendant. As it grew stronger, the light of the spell grew so that it encircled both herself and the professor. This magic was nothing she had ever witnessed before.

When he finally finished the first incantation, he once again looked back to her. "And the password that will transport you to your rooms?"

"Tantomile."

"You seem to have a penchant for fictional felines and poetry, my darling," Dumbledore laughed. He then began muttering another spell. This one shone yellow in the darkness of the garden. It grew until it connected her and the door that was on the other side on the garden.

And then, the light was gone, and all that was left was a goblin medallion laying in the palm of her hand. Dumbledore reached back into his robes and pulled out a golden and silver chain which he then handed to her. She threaded it onto the pendant and then turned to the professor.

"Would you mind helping my fasten it?"

"Not at all. Here, just hold your hair." He tool the necklace and wrapped it around her neck, being careful to touch her as little as possible.

Hermione, though, did feel his hand graze the back of her neck and she felt an odd shiver go down her spine. Not wanting to think more of it, she forced it from her mind and waited patiently for him to finish clasping the necklace.

"Now, with out further ado, we should most likely get you situated in your rooms, my girl, it is getting to be a sinfully early hour of the morning to be awake and we still have much to do." He stood up, and Hermione and the professor followed suit.

The followed him through the door on the other end of the garden from the entrance to the room of requirements. As soon as they closed the door behind them, the room they were now in turned into a simple but large linen closet. It was undoubtedly a Slytherin's linen closet because all the sheets, towels, and linens were black, white, and various shades of green.

_Yes, this is my linen closet... _Hermione jumped at hearing the professor's voice in her head.

_Sorry, forgot that you can hear my thoughts..._

_ Do not worry yourself about it too much. Besides, we may as well begin to get used to it now. _They both followed Dumbledore through the quarters into Severus' sitting room. The room was not too large, but you could not see the walls because they were all covered in bookshelves. Even the small coffee table in the middle served a double purpose as a bookshelf as well. _Also, if you ever need sheets or anything that's where you can find them. My quarters are now your quarters, as strange as that may seem._

_ Thank you._ Hermione was at a loss of what else to say. There was one thing that was bothering her a little bit. _Would you mind it entirely if we tested the... parameters of this connection at some point soon? I would feel much more comfortable if I knew exactly how far my privacy extends now._

_ Of course. After the headmaster leaves?_

_ Alright._

"Well, I seem to be interrupting another conversation, most likely a quite fascinating one judging by the fact that you two are staring at each other and not even realizing that I sat down about... three minutes ago?" There was no missing the amused twinkle in his eyes as he gazed at the two.

They quickly and awkwardly sat down on the nearest sofa, a large black leather piece, and turned back towards the headmaster, who was now in the process of conjuring a small table with a tea tray, three large mugs, and an assortment of teas, sugar, and milk.

"Alright, now that we are here, it will be a little bit easier to discuss the room situation." The old man said, making quite a show of pouring himself a large mug of Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer tea. "You know, those muggles sure know how to blend herbs, don't they?" He chuckled to himself as he levitated and dropped two cubes of sugar into his tea and proceeded to charm the teaspoon into stirring it for him. "Tell me, Severus, if you retire, would you ever consider going into tea blending? I'm sure you, being the renowned potions master that you are, could make some fantastic blends!"

Severus seemed at a loss for words. "Well, no, I had never considered that...?" Hermione thought it was odd to hear him be so unsure of anything. Severus Snape was usually a very decisive man, always strong and firm in everything he did.

_Trust me, _his voice said, _Even when you have know our headmaster as long as I have, some things he says still astonish you..._

Hermione tried to hold back a giggle, and ultimately failed, covering her face with her hands to hide her laughter. When she had stopped, she looked at the headmaster whose eyes were still twinkling with amusement. He had obviously thought it very funny too, and Hermione was sure that he had said that about the tea to intentionally surprise Snape.

"Either way," the headmaster said, "We must discuss the current situation that we find ourselves in," he stopped to take a sip of his tea. "Well, Miss Granger, Severus and I have everything set up down here for you. I expect that there will be points when Severus will need intensive care, and you will not be able to leave. The castle recognized the need for extra rooms for you and gladly accommodated them. They are right down the hall, Severus will show them to you later. Also, the castle was considerate enough to provide you with an extra closet for all of the medicines, healing supplies, and potions you may need." He took another sip of his tea and continued.

"I was honestly impressed. The castle rarely ever grants such menial requests, even of myself who has a direct connection to the castle. You will see that your rooms are outfitted with anything and everything you may need. Clothing, paper, quills, and Severus had even agreed to let you use his library where you will be able to find several different tomes on any sort of topic that you ever thought possible. I must say I do believe that between the Library and Severus' personal library, you will most likely find nearly every wizarding book in existence. Not to mention several muggle books as well." Dumbledore dragged one of his fingers across a shelf of muggle classics that was directly to the left of the chair he was sitting on.

"And now," Dumbledore said right before finishing off the last of his tea, "I must bid you both a good night for I have much to do before the morning dawns upon us once again. I am truly sorry that I could not stay with you until you both finished your tea, but there is much to do to ensure that this school runs as smoothly as possible. Miss Granger, I expect that you are tired. You may stay in your new rooms for tonight. When you need to return to the common room, the pendant will transport you to the linen closet in your dorms with the same password as it transported you here with." The headmaster stood up and began to walk towards the door. "Good night!"

And with that, he was gone.

It took Severus and Hermione a few moments to adjust to the headmaster's sudden departure. Hermione was the first to move. She stood up and walked over to the tea tray and served herself a cup of herbal chamomile tea with a dash of milk and three cubes of sugar.

"Would you care for tea?"

"That would be nice, thank you," the Potions master responded, "Black tea, no milk, and one cube of sugar, please." Hermione prepared his tea and handed it to him.

"Well..." She said sitting down on her side of the cough and turning to look at her professor, "Now what do we do?"

"I suppose I should show you to your rooms. I also need to show you the rest of the quarters, assuming that you will be spending a good portion of your time here from this point on."

"That sounds like a plan." Hermione took another sip of her tea, the warm sweet liquid sliding down her throat, warming her whole entire soul. "Professor, does it bother you that I will be spending so much of my time invading your privacy as I will be from this point onwards?"

Severus took a deep sip from his tea, setting the cup and saucer back onto the tray. "Quite honestly, it does not. I am not sure why. I am never like this with anybody else. I just suppose it will be nice to have somebody on a similar level of intellect to discuss things with." In her head, Hermione heard him say: _One can only have so many discussions with the headmaster before you get sick of him turning the discussion into a philosophical reason for why one should get married or at the very least have a quiddich team of children._

She could not help the smile that began to form on her lips. Something good was going to happen here. _It will be great to finally have somebody to talk to for whom I do not have to dumb down the topics so that my conversation partner will actually have a chance of understanding._ Hermione took one last sip of her tea and set it back on the tray which then disappeared in a small cloud of smoke.

_Shall we? _ Severus stood up and lead the way out of the sitting room. As they left, Hermione could not help but glance at the numerous titles which caught her eye from the shelves all around the room. Well, if not anything else, the discussions and books would make this worth it.

Severus lead her through a cold, stone hallway and then made a left to face a door that opened into a large bedroom. In one corner was a large chestnut wood desk which had built in bookshelves that held copies of all her current school books. On the opposite wall was a large stone fireplace with a roaring fire. Hermione could feel the hear radiate through the room and ease away the chill of baing in the dark and gloomy dungeons. On the other side was a large chestnut canopy bed. It was larger than any bed she previously had, and looked like it could fit about five people comfortably. It was dressed with silver curtains and burgundy sheets.

_Wouldn't it look less... suspicious if the sheets were at least Slytherin colors? What would happen if somebody saw this room? _

_ You can change them, if you so wish._

"Yes, I think that may be a good idea." Hermione pulled out her want and flicked it towards the sheets. The burgundy red color looked as though it melted off the sheets and was replaced with several different shades of green, which all melted away until the young witch decided on a very Slytherin dark green color that she obviously approved of.

"I like your choice," Severus smirked as he appraised the final color choice.

"Thank you. It's strange, because in all honesty, green is one of my favorite colors."

"That is very un-Gryffindor of the Gryffindor Princess," Severus said smirking. He turned to open the closet that was on the other side of the room. Hermione walked into the large walk-in closet. There were so many clothes in there that even Hermione was overwhelmed. She browsed though what looked like her own personal Macy's outlet.

"Why?" the young woman was speechless.

"Please consider all this a 'thank you' for all that you are doing for me," Severus said.

"But it must have cost a fortune!" She said again, looking at the formal robes and gowns that were hung at the very back of the closet.

"I have a substantial amount saved from when I inherited the Prince inheritance as the last in the line. It was nothing, but it was the very least I could do to compensate you for all that you are doing for me." He said as he fingered one of the elegant shirts that was hung up to their left. "I hope this all fits you, I hired one of the house elves to shop for you. She insisted that he could find anything in your size so I gave her the money and an order to buy anything she felt a woman like you should possibly need." He leaned against the door frame as Hermione continued to admire all the clothing. She inspected a chestnut bureau dresser that was built into the wall of the closet, finding undergarments, muggle tee-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, night clothing, and a wide array of other articles that she would have never even thought of buying for herself.

Hermione suddenly seemed to float back into reality, "We should probably finish the tour, Sir, before I get lost in this magnificent closet forever."

"Yes, I do believe that is a good idea," Severus turned and left the room, Hermione following him. _Hermione, I understand that in public we will have to keep up the pretenses of hating each other with a burning fury forged in Hades itself, but please, I ask that from now on, in private and in our heads, you refer to me with my given birth name. You have all my respect. I trust you._

_ Yes, sir... I mean Severus. Sorry... Old habits die hard. _

Hermione followed him out of her new room into the hall again and then into another room that was directly opposite her bedroom. Inside was a simple hospital bed, and the rest looked like a medical lab.

"This will serve as the medical room. All the closets and cabinets are filled with each and every medicinal herb, potion, and supply that I have personally ever come across. I made a list of different things and where you can find them in here, though it would most likely be a good idea to acquaint yourself with the room, just in case." He handed her a list that was sitting on the counter top closest to him. "Also, here is a list of what I have found to be most helpful to aid the different... things... I deal with. As _he_ gets stronger, the torture and spells get exponentially worse."

Hermione took the lists and continued to investigate the new room. Everything was there from PepperUp Potions to an odd green shimmering potion labeled "#6973." She reminded herself to do some research on some of the potions at some point soon.

_About how often do you expect something will happen? Do you get any warning? _Hermione turned and watched her professor who was leaning against one of the counters watching her.

_Depends. I am summoned through the Dark Mark. _Even in her head, she could feel the hatred he felt for the thing. _As to when and where we go and what happens, it all depends on his mood. Lately it has been about once every two weeks, but for those of us higher in command, it is more often. As to what he does, it depends on how upset or angry he is._

_ I'm sorry... _ Hermione could not think of anything else to say.

_Hermione, it is not your fault. Never apologize for something that is not your fault. _Severus stood up straight from his position leaned against the counter. "Well, it is getting rather early, and I suppose that we should get some rest before tomorrow."

"Yes, that seems like it would be a good idea." Hermione followed him back towards her rooms, shutting off the lights in the medical room with a flick of her wand.

They walked up to her door and she walked through, turning around to wish her professor a good night. _I suppose we can test our privacy tomorrow?_

_ Actually, I was going to do it tonight. I would like you to try imagining things. Anything. I am a skilled occlumens, if there is anything I really do not wish to see, I can easily ignore it. Throw your worst at me. When you are finished I will try something else. I promise to give you a warning. Alright?_

_ Sounds good enough. I will try my best, and honestly, I would like to apologize in advance for anything too lewd. That's what I am worried about. _

_ I understand, Hermione. Either way, we will get through this. Let me know when you are changed and ready for bed, and then we will begin. _Hermione shut the door gently as she watched her professor turn and walk to the only other door in the hall way, which she assumed was his bedroom.

She placed the lists that Severus gave her on her new desk, taking a moment to peruse the text books that were there. They were all slightly worn, well used but obviously treasured and well cared for. She took out the copy of the Defense Against the Dark Arts text book and flipped the front cover open. "_Property of the Half Blood Prince"_ was neatly written on the inside cover. They were his books from when he studied at Hogwarts!

She put the book back on the shelf, vowing to herself that tomorrow she would go through all the books. She then kicked off her trainers and walked over to her new closet. All the clothing was so elegant it was literally fit for a pure blood millionaire. It was all similar quality to that which Narcissa Malfoy would wear. The robes were better than anything one could find already made in Madame Malkin's. Hermione could not even fathom when she would wear the gowns that were also there, but she definitely knew that she would not have to go clothes shopping for the next several years, even for school robes. There were several new sets of robes and uniforms there, starched and ready for her to use.

She walked over to the bureau and pulled out the most casual looking pair of pajamas that she could find, a set of black silk pants and camisole. She changed, placing the clothing and robes that she had worn into the hamper that inhabited a corner of the closet. She enjoyed the light feeling of the silk against her skin.

The next matter was the bathroom. The door was right next to the door for her closet. She walked into a large white room, finding a large onyx claw footed bathtub in one corner and a large sink in another. The shower occupied a good portion of the wall opposite the toilet. All the toiletries she would ever need were stocked in the towel closet above the toilet and a new toothbrush lay waiting for her next to the sink. Being the daughter of dentists, she was very particular about her oral hygiene, and she was very happy that Severus had considered all aspects of her new rooms and her necessities.

Once she had finished brushing her teeth, she went back into her room. With a flick of her wand she turned back the bed sheets, climbed in, and then with another flick she shut off all the lights.

Just then, she heard his voice in her head again. _Ready?_

_ Ready as I will ever be._

_ It is better we get this over with now, than at any time in the future._

_ Yes. Shall I start, Severus? _

_ Go ahead. _

Hermione imagined flying. The day was beautiful. She could hear the birds singing beneath her and the sun's soft rays hitting her face. She imagined flying over the Burrow into large dark storm clouds. She felt the humidity increase as she flew further in. She could feel herself panic. She imagined the rain pelting her face. And then, in a large gust of wind, she was falling. She saw the ground come closer and closer. And then, she pulled out of her mind.

_Well? _

_ Yup. Saw it. That proves that we will be able to see anything that the other wants us to see specifically. Now… Let's try something different. I really do not want to do this, but since it is a bond that is supposed to be between a married couple, I suppose that it may be a good idea to test… those… parameters considering that we are not a married couple, and that we should both be entitled to our own… privacy being only human._

_ I understand. For the sake of avoiding anything too awkward, I think it is a good idea. I honestly doubt that I will find myself in any situations that a spouse would otherwise… object to, but, it is better to be safe than sorry. May I start? _Hermione knew that it would probably not get more awkward than this, so it was probably a good idea to cross the bridge now before it burnt down.

_Please, go ahead. And do not worry, this will not hold any connection to any way I ever see you __in the future or judge you. _

_ Thank you..._ Hermione thought back to a romance novel Ginny hand handed her to read on the train ride to the school at the beginning of the term. The one in which a handsome, tall, dark brooding vampire decides that he is going to give up on drinking other's blood after he sees a witch who captures his fancy. The most lewd thing she could think of at the moment was the scene in which he loves her for the first time. And so she began to imagine...

*She was in the woods. Lost. No matter what, she could not gain any semblance of direction, and any path that she took would suddenly end. Then, the tall, dark man was in front of her. He wore long black robes and his face was hidden under a large hood. "You cannot leave now, Love," he said, she recognized the voice. He walked closer to her, and she backed up into a tree. When he was about a foot away from her, he lifted his hand and pulled the hood further over his face so that she would not be able to see him. He stepped closer so that he was now pressing against her. She lost her train of thought as he lowered his head and kissed down the nape of her neck. She felt an electric charge jolt though her body. "No. I will not turn you. Or bite you. You are different. You make me want to be human again. Nobody has ever done that to me before." She caught her breath. He brought his head back up to hers, the hood having fallen far enough back that she could now see his lips, his bale skin, and some of his shoulder length blond hair. "Why me?" She asked him. "I'll be damned if I know," was his quick raspy reply as he assaulted her mouth with his own. After a few moments of simple chaste kissing, she wanted more. She began to nibble along his bottom lip as an invitation. The kiss deepened and she unconsciously placed her hands on the sides of his face. When They finally came up for air, their foreheads leaned together, she could not help but feel the _hard_ effect she had on him. It made her feel so powerful. With this newfound power and energy, she pressed back into him, kissing him thoroughly. She slid her hands up his chest and began to unbutton black dress shirt. She could feel the pure sexual energy buzz through all her nerves.*

As Hermione entered her own world once again, she slowly became conscious of the brooding feeling that Severus seemed to be sending her. _I can feel your emotions._

_ You can? _His voice had a raspy edge to it.

_ Yes. You are feeling very brooding. Was something wrong with the images I sent you?_

_ No. They were fine. _He seemed very cut and almost aggravated. _I think we should leave the testing alone for now, and just wait and see what the rest of the parameters are as they come._

_ If you think that's what will be best, then that is what we will do. _Hermione laid back in her bed and pulled the duvet up over herself.

_By the way, it may be beneficial for you to know that the Headmaster just sent me a note that it would not be necessary for us to arrive to breakfast tomorrow morning. He said to sleep and then show up as needed, and that he would make our excuses as needed._

_ Thank you, Severus._

_ No, thank you, Hermione. _His voice stopped for a moment. _May I ask you something?_

_ I suppose you can, Severus... We do share a part of our minds now, and I am certain that even if you did not ask you would get whatever answers you wanted anyway._

_ No. I respect you. I would do no such thing. I value your trust._

_ Thank you. So, what was your question then? _

_ When we were in the second task, you said something when I told you to run. Do you remember what you said?_

Crap. He had heard. _Yes... I do remember what I said._

_ Alright. I was just making sure I was not hallucinating. Hermione?_

_ Yes?_

_ Thank you. _

_ Why?_

_ I'm not sure. But I think that at some point we will find out. I am the sort of person who believes that everything happens for a reason. Good night._

_ Good night, Severus._

Hermione was really happy as she fell asleep in her new bed about how he had asked her about it, and then accepted her answer with out questioning her further. She also could not help but think about how much her life had changed in the course of a few days. As she fell asleep, she let one last stray though get past about how much more comfortable this bed would be with somebody else to share it with.

Little did she know that, in his own room, Severus Snape fell asleep to the same exact wisp of a thought.

_A/N: I'm sorry these chapters come out so randomly. I literally still have no time. After this coming week, everything will be back to "normal" thought and I will be able to begin publishing a little more regularly. I typed all of this on my Kindle in between rehearsals these last few weeks. A warning: It's a lot more than I usually write because it's several chapters worth of material crammed into one long chapter. I could sort it all out, but honestly, I am way too tired to even to that. Thank you all for the awesome reviews that the last chapter got! You're all the bestest ever! Critiques and plot ideas are always appreciated._


	9. Chapter 9 - The Inventory

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own J.K. Rowling's original story line or characters. This plot line, on the other hand is all mine._

_**Chapter Music:** Beethoven's Last Night (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Fur Elise & Overture _

_***~*~The Unknown Woman~*~***_

_**~Chapter 9~**_

Hermione awoke early the next morning, and prepared herself for a long day of investigating her new quarters. Her first stop was the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash the sleep from her face. Next stop was her new closet.

She ruffled through all the clothing, investigating everything very closely. If she knew anything about elves at all she knew that they definitely had a sixth sense that told them the exact needs, both present and future, of the person in their care. She was able to find everything she needed, and quite a few other things besides, notably some rather provocative undergarments that had been thankfully in a drawer she had failed to open and investigate yesterday when the professor had been in the room.

_You know, I can hear you thinking about me. _The voice in her head said nonchalantly.

_ … Oh. So much for a little privacy._

_ Worry not, my lady, I do not plan on extolling your secrets to the world as a whole. I'm sure I would have plenty of questions to answer that I would much rather left alone._

Hermione laughed out loud. _Yes, I suppose that would be rather odd to explain. By the way, your elves have a very interesting concept of what a girl my age would be needing for a job like this._

_ Hermione, you are a woman now. I am sure that they outfitted you with anything they thought you may need or that would be in anyway important._

_ Ha. Yes. And a black and green silk negligee with matching undergarments? What do they think I am doing here? Learning to become a stripper?_

Severus was oddly silent for a few moments. _Well then... You don't have to wear those...? I'll make sure to speak with the elf in question later._

_ It's alright, you and I both know how hard it is to get an idea out of an elf's mind once it's in. _

_ Yes... I have breakfast waiting for you in the kitchen. It's under a stasis charm. I need to go take care of my morning rounds. The headmaster asked me to tell you that you have all day to investigate and get acclimated. He would like us both to be at dinner though. _

_ Alright, I'm sure I will be done by then. Say, do you happen to go by the Owlry on your rounds?_

_ Yes, I do. _

_ Could I ask you a huge favour?_

_ Yes?_

_ I have a letter for my parents that I must send. Could you by any chance owl it out for me while I figure out all of this?_

_ Of course. _A flicker of movement caught Hermione's eye, and she watched as her letter to her parents levitated off the night stand next to her new bed and slid through the crack between the floor and the door.

_Thank you, Severus._

_ My pleasure, Hermione._

Hermione felt the connection fade out for a moment and she returned to investigating her wardrobe. She decided that some of the simpler undergarments that were provided, an elegant black tee shirt with dark green embroidery, and a comfortable looking pair of muggle bell bottomed jeans would suffice for the amount of activity she had to do today. She pulled on her new clothes and deposited her night gown in the hamper.

Her first stop was her new desk. She decided that every aspect of her new life needed a thorough investigation. She gently opened each elegant drawer at a time, making note of what was there and where everything was. The top drawer had an elegant variety of writing and calligraphy quills, as well as a small box filled with muggle pens. The next drawer had what looked like an endless box of parchment. Another drawer down were several different inks in various shades of bright colors. And then, of course, on the shelf above the desk were Severus' own text books from when he was in school.

_Ah, good, you noticed them._

_ Actually, I saw them last night as well. Why would you let me use these?_

_ Why not? _Was the simple reply that she received.

_Because they were yours! They must have some sentimental value to you!_

_ Please, Hermione, you think I have not already memorized each and every one of them? Also, you should not be carrying all your books back and forth from one room to another. It may looks suspicious. Also, all the notes I have scribbled in, you already most likely know. But, if not, it never hurts to learn something new._

_ Wow, thank you professor. You can't even imagine how much this means to me._

_ We are very similar, Hermione, _he made a point of saying her name, _I should be the one that is honored to have you have my books._

Their connection cut off again, and Hermione decided to continue her search and inventory, now going into the the new medical room. The place looked so bleak and forlorn with it's white washed walls. Hermione decided that the only way she would be able to work in here was if she made some changes. She transfigured the white plastic cabinets into darker maple cabinets, attaching a light underneath them so that the counter would still be clear and visible. She also charmed the bleak looking hospital bed into something a little more comfortable, changing the metal frame to a simple wood frame. The room already looked better, but there was just one last thing it needed.

The final touch was added when Hermione transfigured a beaker into a case full of glass daffodils. She did not want to work in a place that looked as though hell was about to warm over and the reaper was about to knock at the door.

The young woman proceeded to take full inventory of all the potions, found on the top shelf of all the cabinets, and labeled alphabetically for easy access. Next, she searched for all the medical tools she may need. Syringes, scalpels, and other sharp tools were in one of the top drawers of the new maple cabinets. The next drawer contained muggle surgical tape, suture thread, bandages, and an assorted variety of wound wrappings. The cabinet beneath this last drawer held all the extra potions ingredients that would possibly be needed for any extra brewing she would have to do.

The book shelf opposite the bed held several books entitled things like "Magical Medicine," "Ancient Magic for All Health Needs," "The Wizarding Anti-Bodily Curse Book," and other titles of the same nature. Hermione made a mental note to ask Severus later about what kind of torture the Dark Lord preferred to use on his victims.

_His favorite is the Cruciatus Curse. _ Hermione nearly lept right out of her socks and trainers.

_I need to get used to this... _After bracing herself against a counter top and willing her heart to stop beating so hard.

_Sorry..._

_ It's not your fault. While I have you here, is there anything else he... prefers?_

_ Physical torture, forcing his subjects to do things they do not want to do._

_ So, the Imperius?_

_ Precisely... _ Hermione could hear the sneer in his voice.

_Alright. We'll discuss this more later, alright?_

_ Very well. Have you eaten yet?_

_ … No? _

_ May I recommend a lunch break then? We cannot have you, the one who I need to depend on, Gods willing, getting ill._

_ Fine. I'll take a break._

Severus was right. Hermione put down the tomes that she had just removed from the book shelf and walked into the kitchen to eat the breakfast, now lunch, that Severus had left her.

After dinner that night, Severus Snape sat underneath the moonlight, gazing across the large lake towards the castle that had served as his home for most of his life. He looked so serene gazing out over the lake, but one could not see the maelstrom of thoughts that were going through his head.

How could he do this to her? She was still so young, so innocent, so beautiful... He let his thoughts stray a little bit further until he leashed them back in so that he could concentrate on what was really bothering him. In no simple terms, he had bonded with her.

While he understood that she had agreed to it, he could not help but wonder both what the hell he had just done and why he had chosen her. The middle aged man laid back on the rocks gazing up at the stars that were hidden in the clear night sky. This could all end in many different ways, he mused to himself. Most of those way had rather bleak endings.

He knew from prior experience that whenever he had attempted to play with fate, her capriciousness tended to just come back and bite him in the arse. He had to be stupid to miss some of the things she had said to him. What about those images that she had sent him last night? That had been... alluring, if not down right sexy.

Who was she? On second thought, those images obviously showed that she was not as... innocent as he expected. What had he expected? Why was he suddenly fascinated by the young woman who kept thinking about him? Just because she could not hear him thinking about her, did not mean that he was not prone to hearing every though in her head about him. At this point, that just seemed to be a bonus of his many years of Occlumency training.

Not one to miss a detail, Severus spent several minutes wondering why the Headmaster's eyes had been twinkling so much the night before. Usually, when his eyes twinkled like that, it was one's cue to run like hell and escape while one still could.

Was this whole thing even worth it? Surely he would be able to crawl back to the castle on his own without getting Hermione involved in the whole convoluted situation? He already had a hard enough time admitting to himself that he had weaknesses... How would he be able to deal with somebody like Hermione seeing him at his weakest?

Himself in the care of a Gryffindor... The very thought. Though, admitedly, she was the brightest student he had ever had the chance to teach at this school filled with dunderheads. And, as much as he did not want to admit it, she may even be brighter than he was at her age. She was an exceptional person, filled with the typical Gryffindor bravery and courage. But why had she accepted to care for him? He had treated her so badly because it was what was expected of him as a Death Eater and the head of her rival house.

The man's conflicting thoughts went around in full circles for the first time in his life. He could neither make heads nor tails of anything right now. And, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't come to a specific answer for anything. All of his thoughts directed him back to one question: Why?

A brisk breeze roused him from his thoughts, and he wrapped his cloak around himself, suddenly feeling extremely vulnerable. He would let her decide what would happen. He owed her that respect at the very least.

_**A/N:** Thank you everybody for putting up with my really inconsistent updates. The good news is that the brunt of my classes are now over (for the time being) and I will hopefully be able to update a little more frequently. My sincere thanks to everybody who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this so far! (And a special thanks to **worrywart **who helped me more than she can even imagine in figure out what I wanted to actually do with this story.) The only things harmed in the making of this chapter were several hundred gummy bears._


	10. Chapter 10 - The Classes

**Disclaimer:** I do not own J.K. Rowling's characters or original story, no matter how much I wish I did. Get it? Got it. Good.

**Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" - _Mozart_

___***~*~**__**The Unknown Woman**__**~*~***_

___**Chapter 10**___

The next day was a long one for Hermione. She made it back to her rooms the night before, having lucked out and not encountered anybody on the way there. She was nervous about what people would say after her sudden disappearance from the school for the weekend, but when she got back to the common room, it was already empty and everybody was asleep in bed. Much to her relief, she did not have to worry about anything all night.

She was about to lay down in bed, when...

_You do know, you needn't worry about this because it's technically only in our heads, and they shan't find out unless you tell them._

Hermione was so new to this she still had a hard time remembering that she did now have her own set of personal voices in her head. Or, better put, one voice in her head... His voice.

_Yeah... _She replied._ I suppose it is just a lot to get used to in the span of one weekend. _

_ Fair enough. You should get some sleep, you do not want to be falling asleep in your classes tomorrow._

_ I was just thinking the same thing..._

_ Well, good night, Hermione. Hope you sleep well._

_ Same to you, Severus. Don't let the house elves bite._ He heard him chuckle in her head as the turned over and fell asleep.

_*******~*~ ********The next day...******** ~*~***_

Hermione resumed her regular activities the next day as though nothing had even happened. She realized that Severus was right, and that she had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Breakfast was completely uneventful, save the usual quiddich conversations, questions about homework that was due that day, and the occasional "are you feeling better" from concerned friends. Hermione could not help but glance up at the dais to see Severus sitting there discussing something under his breath with the headmaster.

Hermione had three classes that day; Herbology after breakfast, Transfiguration after lunch, and then double Potions right before dinner. The instant she finished her breakfast, she casually made her way towards the green houses with her class mates. Neville was talking about his fascination with the latest plant that they were studying, Harry and Ron writing the last few notes onto the scrolls that Professor Sprout had assigned them, and Hermione just walked along with them, making polite conversation with Neville who she was glad to see had finally found his passion.

"Good afternoon, class!" Professor Sprout started, "please take your usual seats." She waited for the class to settle down a little bit. "Today we'll be examining a plant that is very common in our area. This plant is not usually seen as a qualitative contributor to the world, but in fact, it has many qualities that are useful magically, medicinally, and otherwise."

The short, stout woman bent under the table and retrieved a plant that Hermione recognized at once from the endless time she had spent as a little girl trying to remove them from her mother's garden.

_Ah... The infamous "rabbit ear" plant. One of Pomona's favorites. _There was his voice again.

"This plant is definitely one of my absolute favorites. It is called the "rabbit ear" plant, or scientifically, the _Stachys byzantina."_

_Do you really have to interrupt the lesson...?_

_ Yes, I think I do._

_ Why...?_

_ Please, I could teach you all you could ever need to know about those plants._

_ And what if you miss something that she's saying?_

_ Hermione, you forget that I am a Potions Master, and therefore required to have a full knowledge of subjects including, but most definitely not limited to, potions, herbology, arithmancy,and several others. In muggle terms, I majored in potions, but I minored in nearly everything else._

"The rabbit ear plant, as I like to call it, originated in Turkey and western parts of Asia, and can grow nearly anywhere in the world so long as it has the proper amounts of water, temperatures, and sunlight..."

_My apologies, Sir... I did not mean to insinuate that you were uneducated..._

_ No, Hermione, I just want to make sure you know that you can now use me as a viable resource._

". . . Besides that," Professor Sprout continued, oblivious to the conversation that was happening in one of her student's heads, "It can be very useful when applied topically to a bleeding wound..."

_ Do pay attention to this part, Hermione, it may come in handy at some point. _Hermione inwardly rolled her eyes.

"Because of the magical qualities this plant possesses, when applied to bleeding wounds, it acts to cauterize them and stop the bleeding. For example, if you find yourself in the forest at any point and manage to injure yourself, one leaf bound to the cut or scrape should do the trick in stopping the bleeding."

Hermione quickly wrote this down in her notes, and continued listening to the middle aged, motherly witch. "These beauties can also be eaten as greens."

_Yeah... if you like your salad tasting like cat fur..._

_ ...Cat fur? Now you have me intrigued._

_ Take a closer look at the plant in front of you, feel the leaves, they are actually fuzzy. Not something I find very... palatable raw. However, if you cook them, they lose their extreme case of peach fuzz. _

The rest of the lesson continued with Hermione talking with Snape in her head about the topic that Professor Sprout was teaching. Hermione not only took notes on what Professor Sprout was saying, but also on what Severus told her about the plant. Though she was worried at first about being able to pay attention to Professor Sprout with one ear and Severus with the other, a quick glance at Neville's note book told her that her latest enterprise had rewarded her with even more information than everybody else in the class was receiving. This could work to her advantage later on...

_Give me a break, Miss Granger, it's not like you did not know about this before. I have seen you from time to time sitting in the courtyards reading those herbology books._

_ It never hurts to expand one's education._

*******~*~ ******_******After lunch...**_****** ~*~***

Lunch had also been uneventful, and afterwards, Hermione had directly headed to her next class, one of her favorites. Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall was always the highlight of Hermione's day. Hermione loved the way she treated her students with equal and harsh fairness. Everybody got what they deserved in her class, and there was no favoritism.

The Gryffindor students waved at their head of house as she lept from desk to desk in her feline form. One at the front of the class, she jumped onto her desk, and sitting in her chair, transformed into her human form once again.

"Good morning, class," she greeted them, smiling at them as though they were her own children.

_I always did love it when she transformed in front of the class. Did she do it for you all on your first day of transfiguration as well?_

_ Yes, we all thought the professor had a familiar that was allowed to wander around the class. We were really surprised when the cat became our professor._

"Please take out the parchments I asked you to write on last class' lesson, and place them on your desk as usual." She waited until all the parchments were neatly on the desks, and then proceeded to transfigure them into little birds that, when they landed on her desk, turned back into the original parchments. The class loved when she did this. It was the only reason why they always tried their best to have at least something that they could hand it, even if it was not complete.

"Well, with the last lesson topic now over, tested, and the essay ready to be graded, it is time to start a new section in the class. This one is most definitely one of my favorites, and I have used it nearly everyday since I learned how to use it." The class shared excited looks.

"Today, boys and girls, we are going to begin learning about Animagi." The whole class leaned forward in their desks. This was one of the topics of study that they had anticipated for years since that first time they had learned that it was possible to transfigure oneself into their spirit animal.

"As you learned in your third year, an animagus who can morph him- or herself into an animal at will. It is a learned, rather than hereditary skill, unlike those of a Metamorphmagus." The elderly woman stood up from her desk and walked around to stand in front of the class.

"Only very powerful and skilled wizards and witches are able to become Animagi, and the process of becoming one is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. However, once the initial training is over, an Animagus can change at will at any time, with or without his or her wand."

_I swear to Merlin, the woman's teaching methods have not changed in years...!_

_ You know, I know you helped me this morning, but I would actually like to learn about this..._

_ Fine, but I can recite Minerva's spiel on animagi in my sleep._ And just as to prove himself, the perfectly spoke along with the professor as she told the class the next part about animagi.

_ "Animagi can only take on the form of one specific animal. This animal form is not chosen by the wizard, but determined by their personality and inner traits. It may also be that the full-bodied patronus may reveal what a witch or wizard would turn into if they were an animagus."_

_ Alright, I admit... That was very impressive. How...?_

_ I sat in on several of her classes my first few years of teaching just to 'learn her ways' as Dumbledore so eloquently put it. _

_ Alright. As incredible as that was, can you please let me complete this lesson on my own?_

_ One condition._

_ I hardly think that right now is the time for setting conditions... But fine. What? _Hermione was relatively amused by their friendly banter.

_You let me help you find your animagi. I know for sure that you have the magic for it, but it is a long, hard process._

_ You are an animagi?_

_ Of course I am. _

_ What are you?_

_ You'll find out when we begin working on it. Now, please agree to let me help you._

_ Fine._

After Transfiguration, Hermione ran to her double Potions class with Gryffindor and Slytherin. She took her usual seat next to Neville, leaving Harry and Ron to fend for themselves at the work station behind them.

Snape billowed into the class, dramatically wrapping his cloak around himself as he enchanted the chalk to write the directions for the potion the students would make today onto the blackboard.

"Begin now. You have the whole class. If you do not complete it, and fail to have it, properly labeled and stored, on my desk by the time class is over, you will make it again in detention."

Hermione immediately got to work collecting the ingredients she would need.

_Just a warning, I may need to be extra hateful today since we are having double potions with my snakes._

Hermone stopped what she was doing to look at her professor momentarily. He made eye contact with her and then proceeded to walk around the room to inspect what each student was doing... or failing to do, and then calling them out on it and assigning the necessary detentions.

_ You know how much I hate it, but fine._

Hermione worked diligently the whole class, noticing how Snape was avoiding her work area religiously. She finished her potion before anybody else and tested it, looked over the directions a final time, properly bottled it in a simple 5 ounce glass vile, and properly labeled it before anybody else had come within three steps of finishing theirs. She then marched it to the front of the room to deliver it to the professor's desk.

"One might question the speed with which you completed this potion, Miss Granger..." Severus drawled in his favorite monotone baritone voice. In her head, Hermione heard: _Play along..._

"With all due respect, Sir, I followed all the directions you gave us..."

"I did not require an impertinent response from you, Miss Granger. Now, since you obviously know the potion so well, I would like to do four feet of parchment on the history, uses, and making of this potion."

_Oh... Sometimes I really can't stand you, sir. _Hermione glared at Severus. "But, Sir! Surely following your directions earn me reprimands and extra work! It's unfair!"

"Hmm... I think I shall take twenty-five points from Gryffindor for your cheek to a professor."

"That's not fair!" Hermione was fuming now.

"You say that so often, I wonder what your basis of comparison is. Now, I would like that assignment for the next class, and you are dismissed, Miss Granger. The rest of you- continue your work."

Hermione was extremely angry. Everybody could tell. They also know that it was because of the face off she had with Snape during Potions. At dinner, they decided that the best course of action would be to steer clear of the young woman until the steam that was coming from her ears dissipated a little bit and the color returned to her face.

There were several times throughout dinner that Severus tried to contact her. However, she was so angry that even when he tried to talk to her, his only replies were several choice expletives that would even make an American truck driver blush.

The only time he was able to talk to her was after dinner when she had used her pendant to go to her new rooms and relax in a nice warm bath.

_You know, if there is anything I absolutely hate, it is being belittled and having my intelligence insulted in front of my peers. _It was the best way of saying it that she could come up with.

_I completely understand. I felt the same way when I was in school. Several of the other teachers who were loyal to houses other that Slytherin treated me like a piece of slime despite my intelligence._

_ Then why do you take so much pleasure in taking it all out on me? I mean, I know you warned me about it and all that, but really? An extra assignment and twenty-five whole points from my house? Was that really necessary?_

_ I understand that you are upset with me, Hermione, but please, let me explain why I did all that. _Hermione transfigured her desk chair into a medium sized recliner, placed it in front of the fire, and sat down with a huff.

_ Fine. Let's hear it._

_ First of all, that was a double Potions class. There is no way I can show you any favoritism in that class despite the fact that you are the brightest student in that class. My own godson is second to you in that class. There are students in that class whose parents report Hogwart's goings on back to the Dark Lord. There are some students in that class who are privileged enough to do said reporting themselves. It would end... very badly... If I did not show the biased favoritism. _

_ Also, _he continued, _giving you the extra assignment, as I have often done in the past, is my way of challenging you. I know that my class bores you. You are already levels above anything I could ever teach here at Hogwarts. For Merlin's sake, you brewed a perfect Polyjuice potion, something I only teach some advanced, graduating seventh years, in your second year! I am starting to wonder if there is anything you cannot do. Please understand that I do not like being this way, but the current situation requires it of me. I do completely understand if you are upset with me, though._

_ But then, why would you give me the extra work in class when you could just as easily give it to me when I am down here? You know perfectly well that I would do it no matter what..._

_ Two birds with one stone, my dear. Makes me look evil for the class. Also has the benefit of making them behave, because they know that if they do not, they will have to struggle with something that you could easily do in your sleep._

Hermione found this to be a proper explanation for what had occurred, and proceeded to bid her professor a good night.

_A/N: As usual... sorry that it takes me so darn long to update this thing, and sorry for the insanely long chapter. Sometimes it seems as though the second one thing ends, I get dragged into another. I do not have any classes this week, so Merlin willing, I may be able to add another chapter before the week's out. _

_Even though it's a filler chapter, I think this is one of my favourite chapters in this story so far, excluding the first chapter. _

_This chapter was written to the tune of the above stated song, some glorious Karn Evil 9, and a quarter pound of creamy chocolate fudge... Merlin help me. Also, I am more than willing to share this fudge with you if you can correctly identify the non-HP movie reference hidden in this chapter. ;D_

_*My information for animagi was attained from the glorious HP Wiki._


	11. Chapter 11 - The Punishment

**Disclaimer:** I do not own J.K. Rowling's characters or original story, no matter how much I wish I did. Get it? Got it. Good. (Do you guys even read these disclaimers anymore? I'll bet I could say anything on here and nobody would notice...)

**Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" - Track entitled "_Fate"_

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

**Chapter 11**

It was much later in the month when things had finally settled into a routine. Hermione attended classes, Severus would try to keep his over large nose out of her head unless he either had something imperatively important to say or had something that would benefit her studies. After classes, Hermione would spend time with her friends, then go to the library to pick up any study material she would need. With her study material, she would then travel down into her new quarters and spend the rest of the evening finishing her homework, studying, or discussing the latest article that Potions Weekly published with Severus.

Some of Hermione's closer friends had noticed that her wardrobe was changing a little bit. The clothing she was wearing was becoming a little more elegant and fashionable, replacing the muggle jeans and tee-shirts that she usually wore. When Ginny asked her about it one day, Hermione quickly said that a good friend of hers had made it their mission to change her wardrobe... And succeeded. Ginny laughed and said how she's long to have a friend to do that for her.

On a more serious note, though, Hermione and Severus were waiting for something. Something that should have happened already. They were waiting on tenterhooks for Severus to be summoned. It was taking too long for the Dark Lord to finally call him. Severus was worried that the Dark Lord was suspicious of him for some reason. When the Dark Lord was bored, be began to over think his follower's loyalty to him.

It was just like that, that during one eventing when Hermione and Snape were sharing an amicable cup of tea and a passionate discussion about the latest discovery on the effect of a Lycanthropic transformation on the human body, that suddenly Severus dropped his mug of Earl Gray tea. The black mug shattered, and shards and dark liquid splashed all over the floor.

"_Shite_..." Severus was kneeling on the floor, clutching his arm in extreme agony.

"He's calling you?" Hermione lept up from her chair. "Forget the tea. You need to go. What do you need me to do?"

"In the top drawer of my dresser in my room are my robes and mask, can you please... bring them?" He managed to gasp over the extreme pain he was experiencing. Hermione ran to his rooms, quickly dismantled the wards he had placed, and ran in. The bureau was in the far left corner of his room, and it took only a moment for Hermione to pull the drawer open, retrieve the robes and heavy silver mask, and then run back to her ward.

By the time she had returned, he was standing again, but still clutching his forearm.

"It hurts that bad?" She asked as she handed him the different components of his Death Eater's robes.

"Like hell," he managed to say between clenched teeth as he slipped the mask over his face and pulled the black hood over the rest of his head.

"Good luck," Hermione whispered as she took one last look over him, casting a wrinkle removal charm over the yards of billowing black fabric that hid him.

"Thank you, Granger. I trust you'll hold the fort while I'm away?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione watched as he turned on the spot, pressed a long pale finger to the mark that was burned onto his arm, and then proceeded to disappear in a burst of black smoke that elegantly floated through the room and then disappeared. "Please... be careful..." Hermione whispered to the spot where he had stoop only seconds before.

_ Don't worry. I will._

Severus arrived at the location where the Dark Lord was calling his followers. The room was dimly lit and from the finery, Severus recognized the room to belong to the house that his close friend, Lucius Malfoy, ruled over. He was one of the first there, and he made his way towards the spot where the other followers who had already arrived stood.

Once everybody was there, the Dark Lord entered in a burst of black smoke, not unlike the one that the followers had recently disappeared in. Voldemort obviously enjoyed the theatrics involved with being a tyrannical, dictatorial, very powerful, half dead snake. Also not one to waste time, the Dark Lord began.

"Ahh, good. I see you are all here with me tonight," The man, if you could even call him that, had a voice that sounded like a thousand nails being slowly scratched down a chalk board. Severus could see all of the followers cringe as the Dark Lord spoke. "We have some rather important business to attend to, which is why I summoned all of you, my _loyal_ followers." Severus was a little bit worried over the emphasis the man placed on the word loyal. Somebody had broken orders, and everybody in the room knew, if the nervous glances that were being passed around the room were anything to go by.

Without even acknowledging the nervousness of his followers, the Dark Lord continued. "So, Severus. You have served me so loyally all these years. Please, son, step forward. I have something which... requires your... assistance." Severus took three large steps forward and knelt on the ground before the man who was his master. He kissed the hem of the snake man's robes. "As I said, Severus, you were such a loyal follower to me, I always thought I could trust you. What happened my boy? Was I not good enough for you?"

"My Lord, I'm afraid I do not know what..."

"_SILENCE!_ You will only speak when I tell you that you may." Severus cringed and bowed even deeper to the powerful man in front of him.

"You mean to tell me, Snape, that you had no clue what-so-ever, that one of my other followers had joined the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix?" The Dark Lord spit out the name of the other organization as though it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"No, sire." _Shite, shite, shite. Another Death Eater had turned?_ _When the hell did that happen?_

"And why would that be, Severus? I do believe I placed you in the organization after your beloved _Lily_ died, so that you would be able to inform me in case of changes such as these? What happened with that, _Severus_?"

Severus heard several people in the crowd of Death Eaters snickering. Severus Snape? The Severus Snape? He had been in love with a mudblood? It was the funniest thing they had ever heard.

"My Lord, please let me explain."

"_Crucio."_ Severus was suddenly wracked with an excruciating pain that tore at him from inside. He writhed on the floor where he had been kneeling only moments ago. "Let this be a lesson to all of you," The Dark Lord addressed his other followers who were watching one of the strongest men they had ever met writhe on the floor in pain.

"Now, Severus," The Dark Lord removed his wand from the shaking body on the floor, "You have about twenty-five seconds to explain how Scellings managed to join the ranks of the Order."

"Sir," Severus said quickly, knowing that twenty-five seconds would most likely end much faster if the Dark Lord heard something he did not like, "I swear to you on my mother's grave that I was not made aware of Scellings' placement in the Order's ranks. Dumbledore may trust me, but he does know that I still work mainly for you, My Lord. He tends to keep things rather silent when it comes to me. My Lord, I'm sorry. I will never let it happen again. I will do my best and work my hardest..."

"_Crucio._" The pain tore at him once again, and Severus could vaguely make out the sound of the Dark Lord's cruel laughter. "He swears on his mother's grave. How priceless in that? Eileen Prince... the proud last Prince child... the one who eloped with a worthless, dirty muggle, got pregnant with this piece of _shite_, and then died. That is quite some grave to swear on, Severus, despite your apparent proven loyalty to me."

Severus continued to writhe on the floor in pain.

"Let this be a clear lesson to the rest of you. I do not wish for things to be half done here. It is all or nothing. Now, I have already lost one follower, I would like all of you to prove a little something to me, here and now." The Dark Lord lifted his wand once again prom the prostrate form of Severus Snape on the floor. "Scellings has been justly... disposed of. My sincere condolences to those of you who considered yourselves friends of his. What was left of the body has been returned to his widow and her children in the form of what resemble beef-patties."

The Dark Lord lifted his wand again, and cast a quick immobilization charm on the shaking form of the Potions Master. "Now, I have a little test for you all to prove your... loyalty," he hissed. "Form a line. Each of you will cast a round of Crucio on this here, our loyal potions master." The pale reptilian man settled himself into the throne that had been placed at one end of the hall.

"Yaxley, you begin."

The first thing Hermione did was to go lock up the Professors rooms. She had left in such a hurry that she had left the drawer open and had not closed the door. In his rooms, she couldn't help but look around. Everything was neat and organized, even the stack of books on his bed side table was in alphabetical order. His bed was large, carved out of the same wood that hers was. The sheets on it looked like soft black satin.

Hermione decided to stop invading his privacy. She closed the drawer that had been left open, and walked back towards the door. The room was perfect for a man who was trying to have some semblance of control over his life, even if that control was simply the pristine condition he kept his private quarters in.

She re-installed the wards, nearly exactly the way he had them prior to her having to remove them. She modified them a little bit so that if she needed to go in after he came back show would be able to easily without having to remove them completely. If he wanted to change them later, he could.

The next thing Hermione did was to transport herself to her other Gryffindor dormitory. From there she made her excuses to her friends, and went to find the Headmaster.

"Ah, Miss Granger, I've been expecting you." The headmaster was sitting at his desk, gazing at her over his half-moon spectacles. "I take it Severus has been summoned?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. I am going to ask you to please go work with Madame Pomfrey in the infirmary, so that you will have your excuse for missing, and that way, you will easily be able to excuse yourself when our dear Potions Master returns."

"Very well, sir," Hermione turned to leave.

"Miss Granger?" Hermione turned around, "Please, do not worry about him too much. You will be able to help him just fine."

"Thank you, Sir," She smiled at him, and left.

All Severus could think about was the excruciating pain that was infiltrating his whole entire body. There were at least twelve death eaters left remaining who had yet to cast the unforgivable curse on him. The pain was enough to drive any man absolutely insane.

But I am a master Occlumens and Legilimens, he reminded himself. I should be able to stop this, or at the very least make it hurt less. Other wise it will take a huge toll on my body and my mind. Suddenly, he trained his mind to stand alone in a dark. He did not know where he was, all he knew is that his was dark and quiet in the recesses if his mind.

In his mind, he could not tell the difference between what was real or what was not. Here, he hid until he could safely let his guard down. There was one thing that was floating through his mind.

Hermione. Oh, Hermione. She seemed like a guardian angel at times, and then there were others when she was simply his equal. He had never had somebody he considered to be an equal before. All the people he had ever known had placed themselves above him some way. From Potter and the marauders, to even Dumbledore and Voldemort, he was always the lesser one the one who was expendable.

But, Hermione was different. She listened to him. She asked him for fair advice. She even cooked for him sometimes. Nobody had ever done that since his mother died. She had even trusted him enough to share some of her secrets with him, secrets about the shenanigans that she had gotten up to in her past years of school at Hogwarts.

He wondered what she was doing right now. Was she in class? Would she be with her friends? Was she at the library, reading? Would she even worry about him? Did she even care?

Silly old bat, of course she must care... Otherwise she would not be here doing this for you. I wonder if she will be able to hear me if I try to call her?

Then again, if I try to call her, will I pass the pain along to her as well? I've tried my best to keep the connection between us on a speech level only, knowing how easy it would be to transfer feelings and emotions as well. I have received emotions from her quite often. I've just not wanted to worry her with my emotions.

Imagine that, the dungeon's vampire having emotions. Pfft... What a joke. I wonder how many people are left to curse me? How long has it been?

I think I will try and contact her.

_Hermione?_

Nothing. I can feel her mind. She's busy. She's doing work. She isn't paying attention to anything except her work.

Wait... What is she thinking about? _Flubberworm bile... snails tears._ Poppy has her brewing Pepper Up potion for the infirmary stores. That must be it. I am so proud of her. It is always great knowing that at least one of your students has learned from the endless hours of tutelage you spent on them.

It's beautiful how she is so dedicated to everything she does. She is literally an angel to all of us, if only other came to realize what a gift the young woman possesses. I think she may be the key to solving this whole ordeal. She is strong, she has the knowledge, and she is most definitely the most powerful and brightest witch of her age. Especially when all this hope is so quickly turned into despair at the hands of the Death Eater.

But, just thinking about her revives me and makes me feel alive once again. I think she has power that even she does not know about. The power to calm those around her. Even just hearing her voice in my head, no matter what she is saying or thinking comforts me beyond anything I have every experienced before. This woman makes me revive my dreams that I have long since cast aside as a result of my position in the Dark Lord's ranks. Hell, she's in all my dreams.

Would it be possible that she is my fate? Maybe that was why it never really worked out between me and Lily and the other women that interested me. I was always looking for her?

The pain ebbed long enough for Severus to realize and remove himself from his little internal dialogue with himself. It was still excruciating, feeling as though every bone in his body was cracked and he had been flung at a wall multiple times.

"I hope you have learned your lesson, Severus," The Dark Lord sneered at him. "Next time I will not be so merciful to you."

All the other Death Eaters were dismissed, and the Dark Lord left. The room was empty, and Severus just lay there, trying to relax and build up enough energy to actually move his aching muscles.

_Gods this hurts. Hermione! _Hermione jumped when she heard his voice call out to her in her head.

_Severus? Are you all right? Where are you? _She immediately stopped what she was doing, placing down the last file of Pepper Up Potion in the cabinet for Pomfrey.

_ Yes. Excruciating pain. Don't know if I will be able to move, much less apparate back._

_ You have to. If you fall asleep, you may go into a coma. Please just apparate back now before you pass out. _Hermione waved Madame Pomfrey over and told her that she had to leave.

_ Yes... _Hermione sprinted down the hall, searching for somewhere she could easily transport from.

_Severus, can you hear me? _ She found an abandoned broom closet. And checking the halls for anybody who might impede her travels, stepped in and shut the door.

_A little bit. Faint._

_ Severus, I'm waiting for you. Apparate now so that I can come get you. I can't help you there at the manor. _

_ Let me get up._ Hermione felt him thinking about thee chair that was in front of him, and the pain that flowed through his bones as he pulled himself up into a standing position.

_Go to the rocks. They are just out of the castle wards. You can easily apparate there. Alright, Severus? Can you still hear me?_

_ Yes... Yes... Wait... Trying... To... _

Hermione tried to dig deeper into his mind, strengthening the image of the rocks where he had first come to ask her about helping him all those months ago. She felt the image grow stronger and stronger until she felt him take a painful step forward. The familiar pull of apparition tugged at the insides of her mind, and then everything went black.

Hermione yanked the ancient magical pendant out of the neck of her school robes. She clutched it tight in her hand and whispered the password that had been assigned to transport her to her ward's side. "_Coricopat." _She felt herself being pulled through the pendant and landed in a rather ungraceful heap on the rocks, about a foot away from another pile of robes and potions professor that looked as though they had just fallen from a rather high place.

She immediately got up and went over to him, checking his pulse and vitals as fast as she could. He was very weak, it would not do to wake him up though. It may cause his body and mind more stress than they already had experienced. She pulled the heavy silver Death Eater's mask off his face. His skin was completely pale white in the late night moon light, and even more sallow looking that it had ever been before. His hands were shaking violently, most likely an effect of having serious brain and/or nerve damage... An obvious side effect of the Cruciatus Curse.

Hermione disillusioned her professor and placed a notice-me-not charm on him. Next, she straightened her robes and hair, not wanting to look strange if she was to run into anybody in the halls.

She gently levitated the older man's body, and began her slow trek back towards the castle. It was relatively easy to sneak back into the castle. Seeing that it was the middle of the night, she did not have to worry about encountering anybody else. Even the portraits were quietly asleep in their frames. There was nobody there to see the young woman who had her wand out and seemed to be levitating in invisible package through the halls of the magical castle.

Once Hermione reached the dungeons, she carefully let down the wards on their quarters. She levitated Severus through the door and into the medical room. As she carefully placed him on the bed, removing the incantations she had placed on his body, she saw him still a little bit.

"You're awake. Don't talk. Think. It will hurt too much to talk," She took his hand in hers. And waited for him to say something in her mind.

_ The only moment in our lives that every really mattered is now. Thank you, Hermione_, Severus said, as she gently placed his hand back down on his bed and began to transfigure his robes into something a little more conventional, _For being my fate_.

_A/N: Hello folks! Hope this update finds you in good spirits. I just got my new glasses, so now I can actually see what I am typing. (Always a good thing...) I, myself, am actually enjoying where this story is going now. At first, I had no clue what I was going to do or how I was going to do it. Any who~ I'm not sure when I will be able to update again, but I promise to not let it be too long._


	12. Chapter 12 - The Recovery

**Disclaimer:** I do not own neither J.K. Rowling's cucumbers nor her stories. (Are ya reading this?)

**Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" - Track entitled _"What Good This Deafness"_

_***~*~****The Unknown Woman****~*~***_

******Chapter 12**

_**'The only moment in our lives that every really mattered is now.' Thank you, Hermione****, Severus said, as she gently placed his hand back down on his bed and began to transfigure his robes into something a little more conventional, '****For being my fate****.'**_

******~*~*****_TUW_*****~*~**

******The first thing that Severus registered when he finally came to in the early hours of the morning was the lack of pain that, at this point, would usually be pulsing through his body. He obviously was not in his room, or on the ground where he usually passed out after the Dark Lord's meetings and before anybody found him and dragged his sorry, beat up body back to the infirmary. He opened his eyes, waiting a few moments for them to adjust to the light that surrounded him. As his sight came back to him, he came to the realization that he was in the new medical room that Hermione was to work in. ****_Hermione._**** Where was she?**

** Severus tried to get up, but immediately stopped, not because of pain, but because he literally felt as though he had been trampled by a herd of hippogryffs. He also felt rather woozy when he tried to move, a common side effect of some of the more popular pain potions on the market. His inability to move his limbs as he usually could, he attributed to the nerve-regrowth potion he himself had brewed for this situation. **

** Instead, he raised his head and looked around the room. Soft snores drew his eyes to the reclining chair next to the medical bed. She had wrapped herself in one of the spare blankets, and a medical magic tome was laying open on her lap. She had obviously fallen asleep whilst reading. **

** Severus suddenly felt very protective over her. She looked so fragile, delicate, and beautiful. How could he be doing this to her? The position she had assumed with him could only get her into trouble. The huge circles under her eyes showed how truly over tired the poor woman was. ****_Woman? She's still my student... One who is past legal age..._**** He reminded himself. ****_That time-turner must have added at least three years to her age._**

** He fell back onto his pillow, knowing full well that he would not be going anywhere any time soon. It had been different the last few times he had been summoned. He would go, gather with the others, be called upon by the Dark Lord to give him information, at which point he either would or would not disclose something that the Order had decided could be shared. Then, he would either receive praise from the Dark Lord, or he find himself on the receiving end of the Dark Lord's wand... He shuddered at the thought. Now, though, some things were different. He was pain free thanks to the talented witch who was sitting next to his sick bed. **

**_She may be talented and highly skilled, _**** Severus thought to himself,****_ but she's at risk. How can I be such a fiend to ask her for this. It must be stopped. _****He stretched his toes, hoping that the increased circulation would allow him to move more properly. Once he had regained feeling in his feet and legs, he moved on to his arms, wiggling his fingers. He would be severely sore for several days, but he was more than used to it. For Merlin's sake, it was definitely better than that dog bite he had received during Hermione's first year trying to get away from that dunderheaded mongrel that the big buffoon of a grounds keeper had allowed into the castle... Anything would be better than that bite. **

** Severus stood up, his entire spine cracking back into place as he stretched to his full height. Next, he made quick work of undoing the wards Hermione had set on the door to their medical room. She had placed nearly every single hiding, blocking, and privacy charm she knew on the door, just in case. Severus could sense her magical trace on the charms, especially the more difficult ones that actually required him to put a little bit more effort into opening them. He made sure he was especially careful because he knew that she had set them to wake her if anybody entered the room, left the room, or even knocked on his office door. **

** Once he was finished, he turned and looked at the sleeping witch. She looked so peaceful, but severely uncomfortable... Closing the tome that was still open on her lap and placing it on one of the counters, he lifted the small witch and carried her out of the medical room and into her own bedroom. He laid her on the bed, magically changing her into the night clothes that were set aside on her dresser, and covered her with her Slytherin green comforter. **

** He paused as he was about to leave. The color green really accented her face well. It was a flattering color on her. He smirked, knowing that if he said that to any other Gryffindor, he would be faced with a bat-boogy hex before he could say 'quiddich.' He reached down, smoothing a curl of hair that had escaped it's confines away from her face. **

** She was too precious. He could not use her for this anymore. He had already taken enough innocent lives. Severus was sure, and he could feel it in his heard even though he would have never admitted it, that if any of his actions ever hurt her, it would kill him. It would be completely over for him. **

** With an abrupt turn on his heel, he left her room, closing the door behind him. His cloak billowed out behind him as he made his way to the fireplace in the living area of his quarters. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. **

** "Headmaster's office," he said clearly, throwing the powder down, and disappearing in a blaze of emerald green flames a moment later.**

******~*~*****_TUW_*****~*~**

**A/N: Hello everybody, sorry for the long wait for this update. I've been insanely busy. Hope you like it, as usual, reviews are appreciated. Feed back is an author's bffl. This was originally supposed to be longer, but I split it into two chapters because I don't have much time right now, and I though it would be better to have two short, edited chapters a little while apart, instead of one long really bad, chapter with severely insulting breaches of the laws of the English language. Also, I had these really cute thingies like the [********~*~*****_TUW_*****~*~] ****you see in the chapter above, separating out the different parts of all of the previous chapters. I never realized that they did not show up until I was going back and ****rereading some of this chapter for ideas. I may change it when I go back and edit it all again... we'll see.**

**So, there you have it! Hope everybody's doing well otherwise!**


	13. Chapter 13 - The Request(s)

******Disclaimer: ****See all previous chapters for the disclaimer.**

******Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" - Track entitled ___"What is Eternal"_

**__*****~*~The Unknown Woman~*~***

******Chapter ****__****13**

**_With an abrupt turn on his heel, he left her room, closing the door behind him. His cloak billowed out behind him as he made his way to the fireplace in the living area of his quarters. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace._**

**_"Headmaster's office," he said clearly, throwing the powder down, and disappearing in a blaze of emerald green flames a moment later._**

******~*~***___**TUW**_*******~*~**

** "Ah, Severus, my boy, come, sit," The headmaster's eyes lacked their usual excessive gleam, but they were still cheerful, "I was wondering when I would see you here again. Lemon drop?"**

** The middle aged professor sat down in the overstuffed, chintz wing-backed chair that the headmaster had recently added to his already over eccentric office.**

** "Albus..." He was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, "I want to cut to the quick and make a simple request of you."**

** "You know that I will try to help you in any way I can, Severus. You do so much for me, but please, I only hope that your request is within reasonable standards."**

** "She is only a teenager, Albus. I cannot keep doing this to her. If anything happens to her because of the actions I am forced to take..."**

** "I see your problem, Severus," The old man looked at the other man sitting across from him thoughtfully. "You would like me to try and remove the bond."**

** Severus sighed, "Yes, Albus. I already have too much blood stained on my soul. Having her life lie directly on my shoulders... Albus, it's unbearable. I cannot do it."**

** "Buy, my boy, look at this from both perspectives- Yes, her life may be in your hands, however, your life is also in her hands at this point. You need her."**

** "That's my problem," Severus hissed at his colleague and confidant. "Look, is there any way we can get rid of the bond? All I want is for her to go back to Gryffindor Tower and to be with her friends. She has done nothing to deserve to be condemned to a job such as this. For Merlin's sake... She has hated me for the last nearly six entire years!" **

** "I think, Severus, I may know what the problem is," The headmaster's eyes had lit up once again. **

** "Albus! There is no problem!" The tall, dark man fumed, "All I want is for her to be safe!"**

** "Exactly!" The older wizard said cheerfully.**

** "What do you mean, 'exactly'?" Snape had not expected this reply at all.**

** "She is bonded to you, with the main goal of keeping you safe and healthy because we need you, Severus." The old man paused to take a sip of the tea that had just magically appeared on his desk. "Likewise, you are bonded to her, therefore, you understand muggle Algebraic postulates, am I correct?" Severus nodded his head, "Ah, good. So, look at this like the Symmetric Property of Equality, if ****_a_**** is equal to ****_b_****, then therefore, ****_b_**** must be equal to ****_a_****."**

** Though he understood the concept, Severus still gave the older man an inquisitive look. "My boy, do you understand the process behind ancient magic? It is one of the most primal magical functions known to the entire world. It is so powerful that even muggles can sometimes experience it in the correct conditions. I'm sure you have read stories of the muggle couples who have lived happy lives together for years and years, and then they die within days or even hours of each other? Magical bonding such as that is not easy to find, and it is impossible to manipulate. Once a couple is chosen for a bond such as that, it is inseparable, unbreakable even."**

** "So what you're saying is that the magic had chosen us and it cannot be removed now?"**

** "Precisely, my boy!" The older man took another sip of his tea. "Besides, I think you know as well as I do, if it was anybody else you were bonded with, you would not bat an eyelash. If I may be frank with you, my boy, I am inclined to believe that you have grown to care for the young woman that Miss Granger has become."**

** "She is a fine student, and has clearly demonstrated her academic prowess for more than willingly," Severus admitted, "I'm afraid I do not understand you, Albus."**

** "Severus, being the headmaster of this fine institution brings about many benefits. Even in the last few weeks, boy, you have changed. I see an expression in your eyes that I have not seen since, well, you were in school yourself. Severus, I see love."**

** "have you been drinking again, Albus? You are even crazier than I thought," Severus sneered. He hated it when people looked right into his soul. It was enough that Voldemort could already do that, but at least when the Dark Lord did it, he could feel it. Dumbledore was different. He just noticed things.**

** "Think about it clearly, my boy. There may be a benefit to this." After another sip of tea, he continued, "I am privy to believe that the young woman in question may reciprocate any feelings you may have for her. Otherwise, I doubt she would have stood to help you or have even agreed to take the bond with you. Besides," His eyes glittered even more dangerously than before, "The bond obviously does not just choose just anybody, and once two people are bonded, there is no removing the bond."**

** Severus took a few moments to digest what the wise wizard had just told him. He wondered if ****he was actually in love with the young woman. **

** "Severus, stop over thinking it. You'll drive yourself batty, and then I will be without the work of the finest spy the world has ever seen. And I do not want you to try and argue it either. I can only tell you that I have seen the respect, hope, and even kindness that has shone in your eyes when the young woman is around. Simply think about that for now. Consider all possibilities. Goodness knows you two are compatible."**

** "And, is this does go somewhere, Albus, not that I want it too or that it even will, what of teacher and student relationships? Are they not clearly prohibited in the laws of the school?"**

** "Yes, they are, Severus, but the school laws that the Board of Governors enacts says nothing about relationships between two mutually bonded individuals. Besides, even the Board would not dare go against two individuals with a bond formed in our world's most ancient form of magic."**

** "Now, Severus, there is something else I must speak with you about," The old man polished off the last drops of tea that were in his mug and magically sent it back to the kitchens. "Well, I suppose it is more of a favor than anything else."**

** The old man reached down to roll up his right sleeve, exposing the burnt and charred looking limb that laid underneath. He rolled it up to the top of his arm.**

** "Severus, it is spreading much faster. Even the potions have stopped being quite as effective as they once were containing it." Snape gaped at what used to be a fully functioning limb, but was now only a burnt piece of flesh.**

** "Severus, I know that there is an attack planned soon." Snape's eyes snapped up to Dumbledore's own. He had relayed that tid bit of information after he had somehow managed to swear an unbreakable oath to keep his godson Draco safe.**

** "What is it you want me to do...?" He held his employer's gaze.**

** "Severus, please understand that I am suffering. I need you to do this for me. For all that I have done and tried to do for you. My request is both simple and complex. I want you to keep the young Malfoy boy safe. I do not want my blood on his hands. I am asking, no, begging you to help me. As an old friend, I need you to commit the act. Kill me when the time comes."**

** "****_What the hell, Albus?!_**** Have you bloody gone out of your blooming mind?" Snape stood up suddenly, turning for the door. **

** "Severus Tobias Snape, wait. Hear me out before you go storming off. I will have everything prepared. I will be happy to go a more painless route than the one that I am heading for if I continue to live," He motioned to his immobile arm.**

** When Severus turned around, the older wizard could see the pain in his eyes. "Albus..." He started, his voice dangerously low, "You do not know what you are asking."**

** "Yes, Severus, I am afraid that I do. I need you to do this one final thing for me. It must be done. I cannot tell you how, as of right now, but it is the only way to ensure that Tom Riddle does not ****succeed." **

** "Tell me one thing, old man," Severus paused sneering at his mentor, "How long have you known about all this?"**

** "Years, Severus. Years." With that, Severus stormed out of the Headmaster's office.**

******~*~*****_TUW_*****~*~**

** Severus had no clue what to do. He did not want to return to his, no, ****_their_**** chambers right now. It was too much for him to handle. Even he, the master spy, world renowned Potions master, and esteemed Death Eater had a breaking point, and right now, he was dangerously close to said point.**

** Instead, he made his way through the dark hallways of the school, his final destination being the tallest astronomy tower of the castle.**

** Along the way, he could not help but think about the conversation he had with the headmaster. Riddle, Voldemort, the Dark Lord, what ever you called him, had sold his soul for glory... Snape wanted no glory. He just wanted a happy life away from the judging eye of humanity. **

** Severus finally arrived at his destination. He walked over towards the edge of the tower, looking down on the lake and the castle's grounds. These grounds had been his home for longer than his own home had been his home. **

** A light breeze picked up and rustled his robes. Severus gazed over the side of the tower. Everything was so serene it was almost like a hell itself. On one hand, he could fulfill Dumbledore's wishes. Or he could find another way out. A way that would be much easier... For him at least. **

** Treason. That's what it was. Either way. Killing one of your own side. **

** There were already so many things he regretted, what was one more? But still... It could be so easy. It could look like an accident. He could just slip on a rain puddle and end up falling, **

** He gazed down into the court yard where he would land. It was so far down that he could barely see the cobblestones. **

**_NO._**** He would not do this. **

** He pulled himself from the side of the tower, breathing harshly. If he killed himself now, what would happen? Albus had said that his actions would determine the out come of the war. If he cut out now, all would be lost. If he did not fulfill what was needed of him, Voldemort might be victorious, meaning that all hell would be unleashed on the world, both muggle and magical. Everything he had previously worked to accomplish could be lost. His high position in Voldermort's inner citcle, the Order of the Phoenix's trust in him, everything. **

** His death was not the answer. Not right now at least. **

** Severus ran into the stair well and sprinted as fast as he could back down to his chambers in the dungeons. **

** She was still asleep. He stepped through the wards he had set and sat down next to her on her bed. He carefully took her hand which was laying on top of her comforter. **

** If he took his life now, he would kill her. Either she would be lost at Voldemort's hands, or their bond would slowly kill her. **

** It was then that he realized why this bond had occurred between them. It had given them both a reason to live. It had given them something to fight for.**

******~*~***___TUW_***~*~**

**_A/N: Hello, all! Once again, I appreciate that you've all put up with my ramblings up to this point! I'm excited that the plot is finally getting somewhere. I've had, once again, a lot of stuff going on in my real world life, so I'm incredibly sorry for not updating quite as often as I would like to. Edits and criticism are always welcomed, as usual. I'm not sure when I will be able to update again, but I WILL update. From this point on, it may just take me a while to update and/or the time between updates will be rather sporadic and random. I am begging your forgiveness in advance. _**

**_Otherwise, I hope you are all enjoying your summers! _**


	14. Chapter 14 - The Chaos

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own any of the stuff that belongs to JK Rowling, I only lay claim to the stuff that I personally came up with in this fic... Yep. **

**Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" – ___Not exactly any specific track for this one... So, just enjoy! _

**_*~*~The Unknown Woman~*~*_**

**Chapter ****_14_**

**"_It was then that he realized why this bond had occurred between them. It had given them both a reason to live. It had given them something to fight for."_**

**~*~***___TUW_***~*~**

** It had been quite a while since the night that Hermione had nursed Severus back to health after Voldemort had tortured him. School days had come and gone, and so had numerous Death Eater meetings. Hermione could see Severus became progressively more and more stressed out. In school, he would not let his persona slip one millimeter, but when they were alone in their shared quarters when Hermione needed to escape the chaos that was the Gryffindor common room, it was obvious that his mind was somewhere else.**

** There was one day in late May when he almost slipped out of his normal "dungeon bat professor" attitude that he used while teaching his classes, in which he nearly took point off a Slytherin's failed potion. Hermione watched in mock horror, just like the other Gryffindors in the double potions class. However, in her head, something completely different was going on.**

**_SEVERUS! What the hell are you doing?!_**** She managed to get his attention before he completely broke his character. She saw him actually jump as she spoke in his head.**

** Shiite.****_ Don't worry about it. I have everything under control._**

**_ Severus, please, relax... I'm not sure what's going on, but judging by the way you have been avoiding me recently, it's something pretty important. _****She heard him sigh in her head. ****_Look, just be careful. _**

**_ Yes, Mo- I mean, Hermione._**

**_ Snarky ass..._**

**_ Bushy haired know-it-all._**

**_ You know you love me._**

**_ Yes... I do._**

******That threw Hermione's mind for a little spin. ****_Look, just be careful. That's all I'm asking. _**

**_ I will. I promise that I will._**

******~*~***___TUW_***~*~**

** That evening, all hell broke loose. Hermione was in the library doing some research on one of the tomes in the restricted section that examined the use of black magic in causing harm to a person and conversely healing them.**

** The first indication that something was off were the screams that she heard coming from the vicinity of the Great Hall. She closed the tome and returned it to the restricted section, following towards the back of the crowd of other students who were rushing out of the library to see what the commotion was about. As a measure of security, she took her wand out just in case she needed to protect herself or other students. **

** The chaos progressively escalated as the got closer and closer to what seemed to be the epicenter of the insanity. The closer they got to seeing what was going on, the more people joined them, teachers and students alike. Nothing made much sense, but up front, on the dais in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagal could be seen crying hysterically and trying to tell two of the other professors something. **

** None of the students knew exactly what was going on. Though, from the frantic snippets of conversation that Hermione caught, she was able to piece together that something really bad had happened. "Death Eaters..." "Voldemort..." "Dumbledore..." "Dead...?" "Snape..." "Greasy Bat..." "KILLED HIM?"**

** Dumbledore? Was dead? How could this have happened? He was everything in the school. Dumbledore simply did not just die? Killed? Somebody had killed him. But who? And why was Severus' name being dragged into this?**

**At this point, Hermione retreated from the chaos, and found an alcove in one of the hallways where she could gather her thoughts. She was suddenly interrupted.**

**_Hermione?_**

**_ Severus? What's going on?_**

**_ I need you to come down to our rooms. I have very heavy wards set, but tell me when you get to the door, I will drop them for a few seconds so that you can come in. HURRY. It is an emergency._**

** Hermione took off at a run, weaving her way against the latecomers who were just now flocking towards the Great Hall. She sprinted down to the the dungeons and once at the door to their rooms, she paused.**

**_Severus? I am here._**

**_All right. On the count of three, got through the door. One... Two... Three..._**

******Hermione twisted the knob, and slipped through the door, closing it behind her. The second she was in, strong hands were on her shoulders, pulling her towards Severus' bed room. As soon as she was dragged through the door way, the door was slammed shut and the lights were turned on. **

** "Sit," he instructed, motioning towards his bed. "Hermione, I do not have much time. I have ti tell you some things before I leave, though."**

** "Dumbledore...?" Hermione managed to choke out as she sat on his bed.**

** "He..." A look of intense sadness, regret, and anger flashed through the dark man's eyes, "He asked me to... kill him. 'Put him out of his misery' in his own terms." **

** "Did..." Hermione felt the tears brimming in her eyes, "Did he have a good reason to... to ask you to do... that?" **

** "He was dying. One of the missions he and Harry went on, he caused himself some irreversible damage, shall we say, and it has been slowly killing him for months now." **

** "But people were talking about Death Eaters?"**

** "Yes, they were there with me. I had to make it look like a job for the Dark Lord, otherwise too many people would suspect something."**

** Hermione was silent for a few minutes, trying to process the information she had just received. "What happens now?" **

** "I have to leave. I will have the whole Ministry searching high and low for me for killing Albus," his voice cracked as he said his former mentor's name. "You have to stay here. I do not want them finding and hurting you. Things may not be good here, but with Minerva in charge, as she is the Deputy Headmistress, it will be safe."**

** "And where are you going?" Hermione watched him as he shrank the bag that obviously had his personal belongings in it. **

** "I do not know. The headmaster made me a port key that would take me somewhere safe for the time being. He did not even tell me where I am going." Severus put the doll-sized traveling bag in one of the many inside pockets of his robes.**

** "What about our rooms?" Hermione asked.**

** "Well, the Headmaster put an undetectable charm on them that only allow the two of us to see your room and the library. To any common folk, our chambers look as though only I inhabit them, and nothing important will be found here. You still have unlimited access to the rooms, though you will still have to be very discreet about coming here. Other than that, the only difference will be that I will not actually be here." He paused and reached into the front of his robes, and removed a flat square package.**

** "This is for you. I need you to read it and study it. It will help you in case we ever need to meet." He handed her the package. "Open it later, we have no time right now. The ministry people will be on their way down here any second to search our rooms."**

** "Please, be careful." Hermione held the package to her chest and watched her professor with ****sad eyes.**

** "I will. I assume that we will still be able to talk through our bond. I just hope nobody can track our bond..."**

** "I will not let them suspect anything. Go. Leave before they come." Hermione watched as he pulled a sheet of paper out of one of the pockets on the inside of his robe. He looked around the room one last time as through making certain that all his things were in order before he left. Then, with one final glance back at Hermione, he placed both of his hands on the sheet and muttered a quiet incantation. **

** Within seconds, the man that had been standing there in the room in front of Hermione was gone and in his place was a cloud of swirling black smoke. **

** Hermione watched as the last of the smoke disappeared into thin air, and then began to gather her thoughts. She may have to spend more time out of her "new" room now. She saw her pendant sitting on her desk where she had left it this morning before going to the library to find a research article in that one tome. She walked over to her desk and picked up the pendant, admiring the delicacy, intricacy, and intimacy of the lioness and serpent as they coiled together to make the pendant.**

** The fastened the chain around her neck, and gently tucked the pendant underneath all of her clothing, so that nobody else would see it. Next, she sat on her bed and slowly opened the package that Severus had given her. The parchment paper unwrapped, revealing a medium sized book that looked very worn.**

** She flipped open the front cover, finding a note that read:**

**_H.G.- _**

**_Burn this not as soon as you have read it. We cannot be linked in any way in case of an accident. I used this book when becoming an animagus. It was the most informative book available. Be careful with it, it is an original copy and has, obviously, been passed from person to person for many generations. Study. It will help. _**

**_Forever in your debt,_**

**_-S.S._**

** Hermione took the note out of the book, and set it on fire with her favorite blue flames. Once the fire burnt out, Hermione placed a charm on the book, making it look like a normal school text book that nobody would think twice about. **

** Hermione wrapped her school robes around herself tighter, and prepared to go back out into the storm that had probably over taken the school by this point. **

**_Severus... Please be safe. _**

** It was the last thought that went through her head before she pressed one finger to the pendant beneath her robes and whispered "****_Tantomile,_****" seconds later feeling a tugging feeling at her navel as she was transported to the linen closet in the Gryffindor girl's dormitory.**

**A/N: Hello folks! Thank you all for the amazing reviews! They really keep me going with the writing. I promise never to turn into one of the authors who requires a certain amount of reviews to get the next chapter. (I'm sorry if you use that... I'd rather just write when I can, and then have the reviews there for encouragement.) **

**Also, edits/corrections to my grammar/stupidity are always appreciated! **

**(Note: A review will probably not get you the next chapter sooner, but it will get you about 20 minutes with a certain Imaginary Potions Master Clone (IPMC for short) tied to your bed. Ehehehehehehehe.) **

**You're welcome.**


	15. Chapter 15 - The Captive

**Disclaimer: ****The usual disclaimers apply... For all the parts of this story... If you hadn't noticed already... So... Yep... All the characters and stuff belong to J.K. Rowling... Except the plot idea that I came up with for this...**

**Chapter Music: **Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Beethoven's Last Night" - Track entitled ___"The Dark"_

**_*~*~The Unknown Woman~*~*_**

**Chapter ****_15_**

**_'Severus... Please be safe.' _**

**_ It was the last thought that went through her head before she pressed one finger to the pendant beneath her robes and whispered "Tantomile," seconds later feeling a tugging feeling at her navel as she was transported to the linen closet in the Gryffindor girl's dormitory._**

**~*~***___TUW_***~*~**

** "****_Severus... Please be safe." _**

**_Anything for you my love._**

** It was the last think that echoed through Severus' head before he felt the familiar tug of the port key at his navel. The next think he knew, we was being catapulted through time and space itself to a location where he would be safe. **

** Everything was just as it normally would be when traveling by a port key. And then, Severus was thrown into a solid surface. It took him several moments to regain his bearings and for the fuzz to finally leave the edge of his eyesight. **

** The first thing that he registered was that he was in the corner of a room between the floor and a wall. A floor and a wall that, judging by the cold of the stone against his hands and face, was made of stone. Damp stone. **

** The room itself had the musty smell of a room that had no air flow and had been exposed to damp and humid conditions long enough that mold had begun forming in the crevices of the stone walls and floor. This room had the distinct scent of dungeon. Severus had been in many dungeons before. Though, in those cases he was there by his own choice. **

** This did not feel like the usual happy welcome he received when he set foot in a dungeon. Either Dumbledore's sense of humor had not, in fact, passed on with him (a thought that honestly made Severus cringe), or something had gone wrong with the port key. **

** The Potions Master sat up from the spot where he had been rudely thrown at a wall and surveyed the room. It was a basic dungeon cell. There was something about the lay out of the room that made him believe that he had, for some reason or another, been here before. Or, been in a room ****very similar to this one before. But, there was something missing that he could not quite place. **

** A stained mattress lay in the opposite corner from the one he was thrown in. On the other side of the cell was the door that led out of it. From what he could see from his position on the floor, Severus could not tell if it was opened or locked. All in all, it was a typical run of the mill dungeon cell, and Severus was not at all pleased with being in it. **

** He dragged himself over to the mattress, and ran his hands over his extremities to ensure that there was no permanent damage that could not be fixed with some of the, grudgingly admitted not-so-useless wand-waving that Madame Pomfrey had made sure to teach him once he had begun returning with some notable damage to his person. **

** That's when it dawned on him. The thing that was missing was his wand. **

** He frantically searched all of the pockets where he kept his wand. It was gone. Disappeared. He would have even felt better if had snapped in half. But no, somebody had removed his wand. His wand. The first and only wand he had ever purchased that had just gained power and more closely tuned itself to his magic as he had grown up.**

** He stopped panicking for a moment to look around the cell and calm down. The main key to being a good spy was to remain calm through out disasters such the one that the situation he was currently in promised to play out to be. Especially when he considered the seventeen possibilities as to why he was currently in a dungeon cell with blood dripping down his face from a nasty gash where his forehead had hit the wall and at least three broken ribs. Then again, those seventeen were narrowed down to be the most logical from a list of about seventy, give or take about ten or so.**

** Severus' attention was drawn to the door as a key was audibly slipped into the pad lock holding it shut, turned, and the lock clicked open. The door itself squealed as it's un-oiled and rusty hinges resisted the force pushing them into action. The door opened completely, and none other that Bellatrix Lestrange stepped in, a grin on her face that could compete with that of the Cheshire Cat himself, if given the proper opportunity. **

** "Ah! Severussss! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" The deranged witch cackled as she skipped into the cell, charming the door to shut and lock behind her once she was completely in the cell. **

** "Bella," Severus assumed that he had a better chance of escaping alive by playing the confused and unsuspecting victim, "Could you please explain to me why I was so... unceremoniously... thrown into this gods-forsaken dungeon?"**

** "Silly Snap-ey!" She laughed even louder, "You honestly thought you could get away? Puh-lease, you know exactly why you're here."**

** "Contrary to popular belief, no, Bella, I am not all-seeing like that damned old man I just killed. I do not know why I am here," He inwardly cringed at having to disrespect his mentor like that. But it also forced him to think about the situation. Would Dumbledore have actually turned him back to his own people? Would the old man have let him die like this? **

** "DO NOT CALL ME BELLA, TRAITOR," the crazed witch in front of him screeched, "YOU ****HAVE LOST THAT RIGHT YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SCUM." **

** "Well then, Miss Black," He over enunciated her maiden name and fixed her with the best glare he could from his position on the mattress on the floor, looking up at the dark witch with wild hair that had even more of a mind of it's own that Hermione's did, "I would still like an explanation."**

** "And why would you think that I'd give you one, Snape?"**

** "Because," he fumed at her, "We are the only two people here, you seem to have locked yourself in here with my person, my wand is missing, and most importantly, I was just thrown against a wall for reasons which you promise me are there, but yet elude me."**

** "Awe! Playing the innocent little Death Eater now, are you Snape?" She giggled at him and pinched his cheek as though he was an adorable little child. He instinctively pulled back from the contact, but quickly came to regret it as the excruciating pain from his broken ribs shot through his entire body, making him feel as though his hair was standing on end. **

** "Oh, poor Snivellus!" She jeered at the man, "So care to explain to me why you were port keying out of Hogwarts this evening, hmmmm? We set up wards we found in one of Lucius' books on intercepting port keys around that stupid castle. Soooo happy we did, right Severus? Best way to... find out who was really loyal and who was not, eh?" **

** The witch glared at her peer with the most hatred he had ever seen in any body's eyes. She had always been jealous of how close to the Dark Lord he had gotten when the two of them had first been recruited into the ranks. She has still been a lowly novice Death Eater charged with menial chores for the inner circle while he had bee charged with brewing the Dark Lord's most important potions. She pulled out her wand and aimed it at the injured man who now lay pitifully at her feet. **

** "Oh, Sev, how the times have changed, how the rich and powerful have fallen, and all that... ****_Crucio!_****" The broken ribs only exacerbated the excruciating pain that was shooting through his body. **

** "You see, Severus, it's mighty suspicious that you simply deserted after fulfilling your duties to the Dark Lord and my dear sissie... Protecting her son, how... disgustingly endearing. ****_Crucio!_****" Severus' eyesight went completely white as the pain speared into him one more time. **

** "And now! Leaving with an illegal port key that isn't of your own creation, hmm? Severus?" The mad woman stalked around to the other side of the mattress where his prostrate body lay, her eyes shining as though she was a little child who had her pick in a candy shop after the festivities on Christmas morning. "Oh, yes, we know it wasn't yours, love," she spat at him, "we took extra care to add all Death Eater's magical signatures to this ward. A smart ward, eh? Designed to ensure that no prisoners of war escaped their confines in Terrian the Terrible's prison camps during his first war with the giants. And if they did escape, it allowed for their port keys to be tracked. Did you know that, Severus?"**

** "The Dark Lord was most insulted that you tried to go anywhere other that directly to headquarters here at Malfoy Manor. And, if you thought that was bad, you should have seen the look on his face when he was informed that the signature on your port key was traced back to none other than old Dumbledore himself! That was one unlucky messenger, I think his body is still rotting in the dining room in the West Wing," The middle aged woman spat on her captive.**

** "Oh, Severus, Severus, Severus. Really low this time, no? Thought you could escape to America? Thought nobody would ever find you in The-Middle-Of-Nowhere, Maine? Trust me, Lucius himself found the safe house for which you were headed. The American authorities should be finding the place's secret keeper at some point in the next few days. They may even be able to identify the body... Who knows. It's not like it matters though. ****_Crucio!"_**** Having seen most of the woman's torture sessions, Severus knew that the worst was yet to come.**

** "And the Dark Lord, oh, he is livid. His best spy a turncoat?! The horror..." She drawled, now leaning against the musty wall opposite from the mattress. "Oh, but we knew all along. I practically begged him to allow me to torture you. I had to convince him not to kill you on the spot. Instead, he himself threw you into this cell. Does that make you feel special, Severus? Our Lord's favorite, suddenly thrown away from him. Oh, what pleasure this brings me. You can't even fathom, Severus. You're mine now. Mine to... torture," She savored the word as though it was a fine liquor that she was sampling. "He's letting me do anything to you. Anything at all. And then you die."**

** "So, Severus, let's start with your personal favorite, then, shall we?" She giggled, a sound that in a normal child would have sounded adorable, or even cute. But, this thirty-something year old woman made it sound like the creaking of the gates to hell themselves.**

** "****_Sectumsempra!_****" Severus felt the wounds open on the different places on his body where the deranged woman pointed her wand. He knew that this was close to the end. As the creator of the spell, he knew that there was little hope to healing the wounds. They would just continue bleeding until, either the person died from the shock and blood-loss, or the counter curse was administered. **

** Now, in a dungeon, in Malfoy Manor, with a very angered Dark Lord who wanted him dead, and locked in a cell with none other then Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus knew that his chances of surviving were so bad that he had a better chance of getting pregnant than he did escaping. The only thing he could do was think about Hermione to distract him from the feeling of all his blood slowly seeping from his body, and the dull pain that the cuts caused. **

** There was nothing else in his life worth thinking about, save the simple joys that Hermione had brought into his life in the last few months since their bond. Every little conversation they had together about thinks that they both mutually enjoyed, it all mattered to Severus so much now, because it had been everything he had ever wanted.**

** And now it was gone. He was going to die, a fact that he registered in his barely conscious mind as Bellatrix shouted curse after curse at him. He felt new cuts opening all over his body, and different curses slowly building up and damaging his body. But he didn't register them completely, because his mind was elsewhere.**

** That elsewhere being with Hermione, doing what he would most regret not having done while he still had the chance: telling her that he loved her. Telling her that he loved her with his whole heart and with every fiber of his being. **

** And then he was dragged out of his thoughts by another voice coming from the cell that seemed so far away at that moment.**

** "Aunt Bella?" Draco. "Are you in there? I thought I heard your voice."**

** "Oh, Draco! Come in, I need your help." Severus' barely conscious mind registered the click of the lock on the cell door.**

** "Bella! Who is that?!" Severus heard the teenager retch as though he was going to vomit.**

** "A traitor, Draco, here, help me finish him off. The Dark Lord will be so proud of you, boy. In fact, I know that a very well placed curse will do just the trick."**

** "Are you sure I can't just watch you, Auntie? A learning experience before I have to do any hands on work? Please?"**

** "Chickening out, are you, boy? Well, I'd be careful, that's precisely what happened to this slob. You know how to cast your Uncle Severus' cutting curse, correct? Use that. Oh, he will be so proud of you if you do! His own Godson! All grown up and putting his useful curses to practice! And for a good case as well. If you hit his jugular, he'll be dead within the minute."**

** Suddenly, everything was going in slow motion in front of Severus' closed eyes which were now at this point too swollen to even try and open them. **

** "Sectum-" He heard his Godson's tenor voice begin the curse. Once again all he could thing about was Hermione. And he realized that, if he tried hard enough, he might be able to tell her that he loved her. **

**_Hermione! Oh, gods, Hermione! I love you! I'm so stupid. I know not why I never registered it before, but I do. Oh, so much. Please, love, move on without me. I'll always love you though._**

******"-Sempra." Draco's voice was strained as he spoke the final words.**

** Severus felt a tugging sensation at the flesh on his throat. And then... everything went black. **

** For the first time in his life, his body felt light and free.**

**~*~***___TUW_***~*~**

**_A/N: Consider this my plea for all angry mobs with pitchforks and torches who are more than likely to be trying to hunt me down after this chapter to please hold off until the next chapter. I would like to sincerely apologize for this... turn of events. It just... happened. Once again, I'm so sorry, please don't hurt me. If all goes according to plan (and I fully intend it to) everything will make sense in the next chapter. Anyway... just know that I wouldn't finish this story without at least a little bit of smut. (If that's any consolation at all.)_**

**_Also, my sincere apologies for the formatting stuff and excess bold that has been happening when I _****_post the chapters. It's all neat & organized in the document before I post it... So something must be going wrong while I upload the doc. I'm working to fix it all and make it legible._**


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